


Love Conquers All Things.

by steeleye



Series: It's Grim Up North. [5]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Severance - Fandom
Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Crossover, F/F, Horror, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-31
Updated: 2016-01-07
Packaged: 2018-05-10 14:57:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5590537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steeleye/pseuds/steeleye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Xover with the movie ‘Severance’. Faith and Dawn are sent on a ‘Team Building’ weekend with horrific consciences. Just how grim can that be?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Love Conquers All Things.

By Steeleye.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Buffyverse or the film ‘Severance’. The Buffyverse belongs to Joss and Mutant Enemy. 'Severance' was written by, James Moran and Christopher Smith who also directed the film. I write these stories for fun not profit.

 **Crossover:** The Buffyverse with the film ‘Severance’.

 **Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation:** Written in glorious English-English. American and English idioms are used throughout this fic.

 **Timeline:** Post BtVS season 7 (no comics).

 **Words:** Nine chapters each of 2500+ words.

 **Warnings:** Minor femslash, violence, non-consensual sex.

 **Summary:** Xover with the movie ‘Severance’. Faith and Dawn are sent on a ‘Team Building’ weekend with horrific consciences. Just how grim can that be?

0=0=0=0

**Dawn’s Apartment, Middlesbrough, Cleveland, UK.**

Walking up the stairs to her apartment, Dawn sighed with relief; she’d just finished her last ‘A’ Level exam. Now she was free to enjoy whatever life and northern England had to offer. Free, that is, until August came ‘round and her results came out, then she’d find out if she’d done well enough to get a place at university. Stopping on the stairs she stared at the wall, her shoulders slumped and she let out a long, sad sigh.

Sometimes it felt that life simply consisted of school, her Saturday job (working as a waitress in a coffee bar) and helping Giles research the monster of the week. When was she supposed to have a life? Where was the fun? Was this all there was going to be to her life? Dawn sincerely hoped not. Lifting her foot she started to climb the stairs again. The weight of her school bag dragged on her soul like a ball and chain holding her back. Would she never be able to do…well, to do anything that wasn’t connected with monsters and school? Was she doomed to be a waitress for the rest of her life?

Finding herself at the door to her apartment she started to search in her bag for her keys; oh god, she though, Faith. Was it only yesterday that Faith had moved in? The story went something like this; Faith had worked for several months as a barmaid in a local biker’s pub. The landlady had, regretfully, had to let Faith go. Too many missed shifts due to Faith having to go off and slay things. As Faith had lived in the pub this meant she’d also lost her home.

For a month or so, Faith had slept on Xander’s couch in his flat. However, living in close proximity to Faith, who seemed to be running hot and cold in her relationship with him, had driven Xander to distraction. He’d eventually begged Giles to do something about her; there was also the wet towel issue, but that was a completely different story. Giles had tried to find Faith somewhere to live and a job. But because of a slayer’s (and in particular, Faith’s) special requirements he’d not been very successful.

Faith had hated living at Slayer Central in one of the holiday camp's old chalets and she was never going to make a waitress. Barmaid jobs (which she did like) required you to work at night so you ended up with the same problem that had caused her to be homeless and jobless in the first place. Then there’d been a stroke of luck, at least everyone said it was, Dawn wasn’t so sure. Violet had moved in with her boyfriend leaving her room at Dawn’s place empty; Giles had talked Dawn into letting Faith share, at least for the time being.

Looking at the key in her hand, Dawn sighed long and hard. Vi had a boyfriend, a nice (rich) young man who was very understanding of Vi’s little secret (being a slayer and all the baggage that brought). He had a nice apartment on the coast out of town away from the docks and the industry. Dawn looked miserably at the key in the lock, when would she get a boyfriend? Every time a guy showed any interest in her, Buffy would frighten him away. Willow had grown so fed up with doing magical checks of any guy who came within three feet of Dawn that she’d told Buffy to stick it! Well, not exactly ‘stick it’ but she refused to do it anymore. This’d had the effect of making Buffy even more paranoid. Sighing yet again and feeling very sorry for herself, Dawn turned the key in the lock and pushed the door open.

“Hi, Dawn!” Faith appeared at the other end of the short corridor leading from the front door to the living room.

“Oh, hi Faith,” Dawn grinned at the older woman nervously, she still wasn’t sure how to react to Faith, there was a lot of history between them, some of it not so good.

But Faith was reformed now; wasn’t she? Dawn turned her nervous grin into a genuine smile as she dumped her school bag on the floor.

“How’s it goin’ Dawnie?” Faith disappeared into the living room; she called over her shoulder, “Tea?” Faith like most of the Sunnydale contingent had grown addicted to tea since they'd moved to England, “I just made a fresh pot.”

“Yeah, like thanks,” Dawn walked on into living room and looked around in shock.

To hear Xander talk, Faith was a slob. Apparently she left wet towels and pieces of underwear all over his apartment making it look like a cross between a Chinese laundry and a brothel. Dawn looked around the living room with something close to a look of amazement on her face. Everything was so tidy and clean. A damn sight cleaner than she’d left it that morning; okay, Vi and herself weren’t exactly messy but they were teenage girls so you had to expect a little clutter.

“Here,” Faith walked over to Dawn and handed her a steaming mug of tea, “one sugar, right?”

“Yeah,” bewildered Dawn accepted to tea, she slumped down into an armchair, “thanks.”

“Hope you don’t mind,” Faith stood in the middle of the room fiddling with the rings on her fingers, “I gave the place a quick clean up.”

“‘Clean up’?” Dawn looked up at Faith, “It looks like you scrubbed the walls or something!”

“Yeah, well they _were_ dirty, Dawn,” Faith went and sat down on the couch.

‘Dirty Dawn’, Dawn sighed and missed out the comma between the two words, she groaned miserably, the chance would be a fine thing. “Hey, yeah,” she dragged her mind back from her black thoughts, “thanks Faith but you didn’t have to totally do it by yourself I’d…”

“No problemo,” Faith gave Dawn a quick smile, “tell the truth I wanted you in a good mood.”

“You did?” Dawn sipped her tea…it was just how she liked it.

“Yeah,” Faith looked at the carpet; Dawn could tell there was something bugging her new and unexpectedly helpful flatmate.

“What’s up?” Dawn asked after a moment..

“Look,” Faith took a deep breath, “you know I wasn’t so great at school…even when I bothered turning up?”

Dawn nodded her head, she'd heard the stories.

“Well,” Faith was finding this really hard to say so Dawn decided to stay quiet until she’d said it, “Y’know I’ve been trying to ‘improve’ myself, right?” 

Again Dawn nodded, she’d heard the rumours that Faith had actually been seen reading…books!

“I’d hear you guys talk and most of the time I didn’t understand what ya talkin’ about,” Faith paused to gather her thoughts, “so, like I thought I’d try and learn stuff?”

“That’s cool,” Dawn said encouragingly, “so, what’s the problem?”

“Y’know, I thought it’d be easy,” Faith’s shoulders slumped, “just read some books like you guys an’ I’d be able to mix it up with the best of ya…but, look I don’t understand half the words in the books,” Faith looked close to tears, as a slayer she was unused to failure, “I might as well admit it I’m stupid…but then I thought of you.”

“You did?” Dawn shifted uneasily in her seat.

“Yeah,” Faith smiled a little as she looked hopefully at Dawn, “you’re clever, you can teach me!”

“Hey look,” Dawn started but closed her mouth with a snap; Faith for the first time since she’d known her was showing an interest in something other than slaying or sex. “Yeah, okay,” Dawn said slowly, “look, I need a shower then after that I’ll make us something to eat,” Dawn noticed that Faith made no effort to volunteer for kitchen duty…thank god! “Then we’ll talk about it some more, okay?”

0=0=0=0

After they’d eaten, Dawn sat down with Faith and talked about the things that she might be interested in. It was very soon evident that all Faith did care about was sex, fighting and her recent conversion to Rugby Union (which was very much like sex [there being a lot of grunting and groaning] and fighting, but with a leather ball thrown into the mix). Dawn thought for a while, what could she get Faith to read that would hold her interest and contain at least two of Faith’s great interests in life? After several minutes of hard thinking the idea popped into her mind; local history! Okay, at first glance it sounded dull, in fact Faith’s jaw dropped almost to the carpet when Dawn suggested it.

But, as Dawn explained about rampaging Scots coming down from the north, Vikings raping and pillaging across the land; German battleships shelling the town (not all on the same afternoon of course), Faith started to look more interested. Dawn knew of a few good historical novels covering various periods that would get her started; the novels also contained sex and romance so Faith’s other areas of interest would be covered, all she needed to do was bring in Rugby Union and Faith would be in hog heaven.

“But what use will it be?” Faith complained, after an initial show of interest she was beginning to doubt herself again. “It’s not like the stuff you and Giles do.”

“Well that’s where you’re wrong, Miss Gloomy Draws,” Dawn grinned infectiously, “Remember the ‘Hartlepool Monkey Incident’?”

Faith nodded her head; how could she forget? A maniac, giant, monkey rampaging around Hartlepool, killing people with deep frozen bananas.

“Well,” Dawn smiled smugly, “if you’d known your local history you’d have known all about the background to that.”

“Yeah I would’a, wouldn’t I?” Faith imagined the looks on the faces of Giles and Xander and especially Buffy if she’d been able to tell them the back story on that one.

“Okay,” Dawn started to get up, “I’ll work up a reading list for you, then tomorrow we’ll go down to the book store.”

“Hey,” Faith looked up at Dawn as she made her way over to where she’d left her school bag, “what d’ya think you’re doing?”

“I was just…” Dawn started to explain.

“No way,” Faith sprang up from the couch, “that can wait ‘til tomorrow, you deserve some fun!”

“Huh?” Dawn looked at Faith as if she was mad, “What is this ‘fun’ that you speak of?”

“See what I mean,” Faith walked over and put her arm around Dawn’s shoulder, “you an’ me are goin’ out.”

“Out?” Dawn replied uncertainly.

“Yeah, out,” Faith’s smiled lasciviously; at least Dawn thought she did, it could have been gas, “You’ve finished all ya school stuff right?”

Dawn nodded her head.

“You reckon you passed everythin’, right?”

Dawn nodded her head once more.

“So, you deserve to go out an’ party down some, right?”

Dawn was beginning to feel like one of those nodding dog toys as Faith’s honeyed words washed over her.

“So, why don’t we go put on our hottest, sexiest clothes, go out, grab a couple of cuties,” Faith winked like some sort of disreputable older sister, “and party on!”

“B-but,” Dawn stammered at the enormity of the entire idea, “what about Buffy?”

“I wasn’t planning on inviting her,” Faith replied a puzzled frown crossing her face, “this is just you an' me little sis.”

“No,” Dawn baulked at the idea of not telling her sister, “I mean, she won’t approve.”

“I wasn’t planning on telling her either,” Faith smiled, rather like Dawn imagined the devil would smile as he tempted some straight laced puritan, “were you?”

“No,” Dawn replied softly.

0=0=0=0

**A night club, later that night.**

Lights flashed and music pulsed as what seemed like hundreds of young people danced franticly about trying to blot out the tedium of their drab, humdrum lives. Faith and Dawn danced in the middle of the dance floor objects of extreme desire for every young male within fifty yards of them. Although the original idea had been for them to pick up a couple of guys, the two young women had actually spent most of the evening dancing with each other.

Of course they had danced teasingly with a few guys earlier on; once or twice Dawn had thought Faith was going to screw the guy she’d been dancing with right there on the dance floor! But she’d always brush the guy off and dance off into the crowd again. Once, some guy, hadn’t liked the idea of Faith leaving him standing looking slightly foolish in the middle of the floor. He’d gone after Faith and grabbed hold of her arm; Dawn hadn’t heard what the guy had said; she’d seen Faith smile (in a nasty way) then the next thing she’d seen was the guy rolling about on the floor clutching his crutch. The bouncers had come over; exchanged words with Faith then picked the guy up and carried him out, no questions asked. As a member of the Hartlepool Ladies Rugby Union team, Faith was quite well known and no one wanted her upset.

Dancing close together surrounded by a multitude of hot, gyrating young bodies, Dawn found she couldn’t keep her eyes off Faith’s breasts. The way she could make them sort of wobble and bounce like that was starting to turn her on; Faith on the other hand couldn’t help but notice what Dawn could do with her hips. To be honest, Faith was jealous of Dawn’s hips; her own were a little narrow and she didn’t consider them as one of her best features, but Dawn’s… Just looking at them made Faith feel, well it made her feel like she shouldn’t when looking at another girl. Leaning forward, Faith put a hand on Dawn’s shoulder and yelled into her ear over the sound of the music.

“Come on, its time to go.” Faith grabbed hold of Dawn’s hand and towed her off the dance floor.

0=0=0=0

“But its still totally early yet,” Dawn complained as they walked down the stairs outside the night club and into the street, “I thought we were gonna party all night.”

Dawn did a little dance as she walked along beside Faith. Feeling a few unfamiliar urges (at least where girls were concerned) Faith turned away. Okay, she’d flirted with girls before, but she’d never been really serious, she’d even made a few suggestive comments to Buffy over the years but that had been mainly just to yank her chain.

“Yeah I know,” Faith admitted, “sorry, but I forgot, Giles wants us over at Slayer Central tomorrow A.M…don’t think it’d look good if we turn up all hung-over an’ asleep.”

“Oh,” Dawn sounded disappointed, “did he say what it was about?”

“Nah,” Faith shook her head and looked up and down the street, “think he wants to send us on some mission or something.”

“Oh,” Dawn didn’t sound happy, “no rest for the slayer and watcher junior, eh?” Dawn saw the distracted look on Faith’s face. “What’s up?”

The two young women looked up and down the street, it was well lit and apart from a few couples heading home or moving on to different clubs it was almost deserted. A police car came around the corner and drove slowly up the middle of the road. The two policemen inside checked out Dawn and Faith as they passed by; Dawn gave them a friendly wave and the cops drove off seemingly happy that all was well.

“There’s something down here,” Faith whispered as she nodded down the street, “if it attacks get behind me, okay?”

“Okay,” Dawn replied as she watched the deep, dark shadows cast by the orangey light of the street-lights.

No sooner had the word left her lips; something big and powerful jumped from a shadow and pushed her to the floor. Trying to keep out of the way and not be trampled on, Dawn rolled to the side of the pavement next to a shop front. She could hear the meaty sound of fists hitting flesh and the grunts of the two adversaries in combat. Looking up from her position on the ground, Dawn saw Faith kicking the crap out of some shambling monster that looked like a cross between a rug and a really weird two-legged dog.

A rapid series of punches and kicks sent the creature reeling down the street, eventually it landed on all fours. It looked up at Faith, snarled exposing a row of really nasty looking teeth before running off down the street and disappearing into a side alley. Faith took a couple of running paces after the monster before she stopped herself; turning back she trotted over to where Dawn lay.

“You okay?” she asked reaching out to take Dawn’s hand.

Being pulled easily to her feet, Dawn then found herself looking into Faith’s eyes from only a few inches away; she could feel Faith’s breasts squashed up against her own, the heat from her body, the warmth of Faith’s breath against her cheek all made Dawn feel…well, she didn’t really know like what? She could almost hear Faith’s heart beating like a drum as her body moved sensuously against her own, Dawn’s lips parted as she tilted her head to one side; she started to move closer towards those invitingly soft lips that seemed to be beckoning her to crush them against her own.

“Look,” with a force of will, Faith dragged her eyes away from Dawn’s, she’d been feeling strangely attracted towards Dawn all evening, “look, um, we-we better be gettin’ home, right?” Faith removed her hands from where they’d been resting on Dawn’s waist, “we don’t wanna be late for Giles.” Forcing a laugh Faith stepped away from Dawn, “Come on,” she called heading off down the road, “we better get home.”

“Yeah,” agreed Dawn putting the fingers of one hand to her lips, “yeah, totally.”

0=0=0=0


	2. Chapter 2

2.

**Friday Morning.**

Sure enough, Giles had a mission for them. The Following morning, Faith drove Dawn up to Slayer Central in her old Land Rover. They arrived at the converted holiday camp and went straight to Giles’ office, Buffy being away doing something important in LA. Sitting in Giles’ office Dawn and Faith discovered they were been sent to some sort of ‘Adventure Training’ camp in South Ayrshire in southern Scotland. 

There had been persistent reports of strange animals or demonic looking monsters coming out of the area for the last couple of years. It was only now, as things in Europe and the UK appeared to be going through a quiet period that they could afford to send an experienced team in to investigate. Dawn found herself swell with pride as she realised what Giles had just implied; he classed her as ‘experienced’. Which considering what she’d gone through back in Sunnydale was only as it should be.

The plan was for Faith and Dawn to go back to their flat and pack; Giles would follow them in his car and then drive them up to Newcastle. Here they would join a group who were going up to the training camp for a team building exercise. Dawn and Faith’s cover was that they were Psych students doing a study on people working under stress in unfamiliar surroundings. All being well they’d come back with the group on the following Monday afternoon. If all wasn’t well they were to call home and Giles would send reinforcements as needed.

0=0=0=0

Everything went smoothly and they turned up in Newcastle with plenty of time to spare. Giles had advised them to pack lightly as they wouldn’t be any need for what he called, fripperies (Dawn had had to go and look that up to check on what the word meant). Instead of ‘fripperies’ they should pack outdoor clothing, stout shoes or boots and only take a few weapons and nothing too big. At this Faith’s face fell, she’d recently bought a new sword and was dying to try it out, instead she made do with a couple of heavy knives. Dawn, on the other hand, managed to hide a small battleaxe at the bottom of her rucksack.

The coach to take them to the ‘Adventure Centre’ was a relatively small vehicle, about a twenty seater. It was dark blue with a large yellow ‘Palisade Defence’ logo on the side. There were already seven people on the coach when they climbed aboard after saying their farewells to Giles. A youngish man with ‘Harris’ written on his name badge, glared at them as they climbed aboard after they’d stowed their luggage. He presented them with their own name badges and told them to sit down.

“Just my luck,” Faith whispered as they made their way towards the vacant back seat.

“What’s that?” Dawn asked.

“Another freaking Harris,” Faith sighed dramatically then grinned back at Dawn.

“Yeah,” Dawn agreed with an answering smile, “maybe it’s a portent or something?”

“Whatever,” Faith slumped into the back seat just as the coach started to pull away.

Caught unawares by the coach moving, Dawn stumbled and fell on top of Faith.

“Hey!” Faith exclaimed as she grabbed hold of Dawn and stopped her from falling onto the floor, “Easy tiger, I know I’m hot but there’s no need to jump all over me.”

“Yeah, sure, um thanks,” Dawn found herself in close proximity to Faith’s lips just like she had the night before.

Quickly, Dawn looked away and pushed herself upright. As she did so she couldn’t help but be aware of Faith’s hands sliding over her body and just for an instant touching her skin as her hand slipped beneath her t-shirt. Sitting down next to Faith, Dawn smoothed down her shirt and tried to stop her hands from trembling. As she was trying to still her pounding heart, she noticed a twenty-something guy looking back down the coach at her and grinning; but not in a nice friendly way. It was the sort of grin that said he’d love to see Dawn and Faith get down and dirty right there on the coach right now.

0=0=0=0

‘Jeez!’ What was wrong with her? Faith shook her head and looked out the window, they were already out of the centre of the city and heading towards the main road to the other side of the country. When she’d accidentally touched Dawn’s skin she’d felt something like an electric shock pass through her body. Her heart had started to race and she’d almost started to pant, she’d even felt her skin start to flush. Surely she couldn’t be going gay; she liked guys, period!

But the truth was her dating history hadn’t actually been anything to write home about lately. When she’d been living at Xander’s place she’d seriously started to think that it might be fun to revisit old conquests. But something had held her back from doing anymore than flirting with Harris. He was a nice guy yeah, but…but was he the guy for her? So she’d run hot and cold towards him and eventually started to drive him nuts until he’d asked Giles to find her a new place to live.

Glancing over at Dawn, Faith found herself thinking that Dawn was cute and if she was going to go the same route as Red and Kennie she could do worse. It was then that Faith noticed the guy staring at them from towards the front of the bus. Faith scowled at him but it didn’t appear to have any effect. Whoever this guy was, Faith couldn’t quite see his name badge, he had ‘computer geek’ written all over him along with ‘pervert’.

“Hey,” Faith eventually snarled, “you wanna look somewhere else or do ya wanna wake up in a world of pain?”

Still grinning the computer geek turned back to his computer and started to tap on the keys. The blonde American chick sitting across the aisle from him said something but Faith didn’t bother to listen in.

0=0=0=0

“What are you doing?” Maggie, an attractive, young, American woman looked up, she’d been typing a report on her laptop; she’d noticed Steve paying a lot of attention to the two students who’d joined them at Newcastle.

“Ordering me-self a little birthday present,” Steve held up his laptop so Maggie could see the screen.

The screen showed the home page for an ‘Escort Agency’, the words ‘Escorts Confirmed’ flashed across the bottom of the screen.

0=0=0=0

Having grown bored with her magazines; they all seemed to be about the same thing, people who were famous for being famous; Dawn looked out of the window. They’d moved into an area of high hills or small mountains covered in dark brooding forests. The roads were narrow; winding along the little valleys between the hills. After a moment or two she looked around the coach, she couldn’t see much of her fellow passengers but she could see the TV screen at the front of the bus.

They appeared to be playing some sort of promotional video, Dawn couldn’t quite hear what was being said, but the screen showed lots of explosions and then a lot of attractive, blonde, young women doing various office jobs. An older man at the front of the bus was having a heated ‘discussion’ with a dark haired woman in her thirties who sat a couple of seats behind him. Once again Dawn couldn’t hear what was being said clearly; she turned to Faith to ask if she could pick out the words with her super-sensitive slayer hearing. However, Faith had curled up on the seat and was snoring softly with her mouth open.

0=0=0=0

The coach was now going along a very narrow road or track; the trees grew right down to the track side, so close that the branches would scrape along the side of the bus as it passed. The driver was singing tunelessly in some strange dialect that Dawn couldn’t quite recognise; to be honest she wasn’t sure if the guy was singing in English. ‘Steve’ the computer guy had put away his laptop and was now stuffing his face with mushrooms as he annoyed Maggie who was sitting across the aisle from him.

These two had provided Dawn with her only distraction since she’d stopped reading and realised Faith was asleep. Steve insisted that the mushrooms were ‘Magic Mushrooms’, while Maggie had offered him fifty pounds to stop eating and annoying her. The offer had no effect on Steve as he continued to stuff raw mushrooms into his mouth. Dawn smiled, she recognised the mushrooms, they were indeed ‘magic’. In about ten minutes Steve would be hallucinating and having a really bad ‘trip’.

Talking of bad trips the coach came to a sudden stop throwing everybody forward in their seats; Faith on the other hand just shifted her position slightly and continued snoring. There was a chorus of ‘What’s going on’ as people got up and walked towards the front of the bus. Dawn reached out and touched Faith’s shoulder, her eyes snapped open and she was instantly awake.

“Are we there yet?” Faith sat up and yawned, she looked around then looked at Dawn questioningly.

“I don’t think so,” Dawn stood up and tried to see what was going on at the front of the bus.

“The roads blocked,” this came from a young Afro-Caribbean guy sitting behind the older ‘in charge’ guy.

“Anyone need first aid,” a bearded man in glasses and a cagoule asked as he also stood up and looked around.

“I might do in twenty minutes,” Steve hung on to the back of his seat looking pale and sweaty.

Pushing their way down to the front of the bus Dawn and Faith saw that a tree had fallen across the road completely blocking it.

“Odd,” Dawn said quietly to Faith.

“What?”

“I don’t remember hearing about any storms,” Dawn pointed out.

“So?” Faith studied the tree for a moment.

“So,” Dawn turned to Faith and whispered very quietly, “how come that tree just happened to totally fall across the road?”

Any further discussion about the falling habits of trees was interrupted by ‘older guy’ whose name appeared to be Richard arguing with the driver. The bus had been brought to a stop at a junction, one road was blocked by the tree the other was clear and according to Richard led to their destination by a slightly more circuitous route.

The driver didn’t appear keen to follow Richard’s suggestion; he kept shaking his head and speaking rapidly in his incomprehensible dialect. Richard, on the other hand, was quite convinced that the driver could easily get the coach down the other road. Dawn thought it was all very interesting but in the end it was futile; it’d become obvious to her that the two men were literally speaking different languages. For a moment the argument looked as if it would go into a more physical phase with the driver holding his fist under Richard’s nose. But the man didn’t lash out, instead he reached up and pressed a button on the ceiling. The passenger door opened with a hiss and the driver pushed past Richard and out onto the road.

“Great management skills, Dick,” mocked Harris unhelpfully, “really, really world class.”

“Gotta say,” Faith whispered in Dawn’s ear, “I think I prefer our Harris.”

Dawn bit down on her finger to stop herself from giggling out loud.

0=0=0=0

Watching as the coach turned around and headed back towards civilisation, Faith rolled her eyes. The Palisade people were standing in a huddle arguing about what scale the map was, how far it was to walk back to the nearest town and generally not doing anything useful.

“It could be totally worse,” Dawn said from next to Faith’s shoulder.

“How?” Faith was about thirty seconds away from kicking some arse or even some kind of donkey-horse hybrid.

“It could be raining,” Dawn pointed out with a grin that brought a weary smile to Faith’s lips.

“Come on ya guys,” Faith pushed her way through the little crowd of office workers, and snatched the map from Dick’s fingers and handed it to Dawn. “Which way, Dawnie?”

“You-you can’t do that!” Dick blustered, “you’re just some student, I’m in ch-charge h-here!”

Dick gulped loudly as Faith turned a full strength slayer glare in his direction.

“But-but if you have any suggestions,” Dick rapidly changed his position on the entire being in charge thing, “I’m more than willing to hear you out.”

“Dawn?” Faith mostly ignored everything Dick said after that.

“Um,” Dawn looked from the map to the surrounding countryside, “like, erm, Dick says, it’s along this road, can’t tell how far it is because there’s no scale on the map.”

“Told you,” Billy the Afro-Caribbean guy said to no one in particular.

“Okay, listen up,” Faith swung her rucksack onto her back, “Dawn and me are goin’ this way,” she indicated the side road, “ya can all do what ya want.”

Watching Faith and Dawn head off down the track, Jill (the woman who’d had the ‘discussion’ with Dick earlier) and Maggie looked at each other before following the two young women along the track.

Shrugging, Steve started walking, “I’m following the totty,” he announced and was joined a moment later by Billy.

Finally Dick and Gordon (the breaded guy who’d asked if anyone wanted first aid) followed the rest dragging their cases behind them.

0=0=0=0

They hadn’t gone more than a hundred yards along the track when everyone stopped at the sound of growling from deep between the trees.

“What was that?” Jill asked nervously.

“*BURP!* Sorry,” Steve stumbled to a halt and joined everyone in staring into the woods.

Dawn gave Faith a puzzled frown and got a shrug in reply.

“Probably just a bear,” announced Gordon as if he came across bears on a daily basis.

“There aren’t any bears in Scotland,” Dawn reassured everyone, “it’s probably just, like a wolf or something.”

“Are you sure?” Maggie wanted to know as she looked nervously into the darkness under the trees.

“Totally, last time I checked,” Dawn smiled brightly, “it’s more likely to be a wolf, they released some into the wild a few years ago…there’s wallabies too.”

“That’s nice,” observed Dick.

There was another growl from under the trees.

“That sounded further away,” Billy pointed out; to Faith it’d sounded about the same distance as the first growl.

“Whatever,” Dawn hitched her rucksack back up on to her shoulders, “a lone wolf wouldn’t attack a large group like this,” she started to walk on down the track with Faith close behind.

“What if it’s not alone?” Steve asked as he scurried off after the slayer contingent.

0=0=0=0

They had walked about a mile and the light was beginning to fade when they came to the old rusted wire fence. It was about eight feet high and ran off into the woods on either side of the track. Gates that had once closed across the track lay rusting and forgotten in amongst the undergrowth. Dawn, however noticed the old signs with their flaking paint but still readable message.

‘DANGER, KEEP OUT!’ they read.

“Reminds me of those old horror films,” Dawn nudged Faith’s arm and nodded to the old signs, “you know the ones where the totally unprepared party go down the spooky track to the old haunted mansion.”

“Musta missed that one,” Faith replied confidently, “come on, we must be gettin’ close.”

0=0=0=0

The track started to slope downwards as they headed into a narrow valley, Steve was being towed along by Maggie who held onto a long piece of rope to stop him wandering off into the trees. He was high as a kite on magic mushrooms and had been going on about seeing weird stuff in the trees following them. Looking at Faith, Dawn raised an eyebrow.

“Nothing on the old spider sense,” Faith informed her.

“Must be coz he’s totally high,” sniffed Dawn.

“Okay everybody,” called Dick from the front of the little column, “prepare to smile.”

Everyone stopped to look at the lodge, it wasn’t what they were expecting. It was however, dark, forbidding and looked totally deserted.

“Isn’t it wonderful,” gasped Gordon.

“It’s a dump,” observed Jill.

“What do you expect?” asked Dick his temper wearing thin at this point, “The Hilton?”

“The Hilton would be good,” Jill replied unfazed.

“We’re in the country,” Dick replied thin lipped.

“What did I say about haunted mansions?” Dawn added sotto voice.

“Right now I’d sleep in a cave,” Harris picked up his bags and walked towards the lodge.

“That’s the spirit,” following Harris’ example Dick started to stride towards the lodge.

0=0=0=0


	3. Chapter 3

3.

The lodge was a two story high building with a possible third floor in the roof; those could be windows to rooms or just to let light into the loft, thought Dawn. The wall of the ground floor had been left a sort of light grey plaster colour while the first floor had been painted a kind of orangey tan. There were a couple of areas were the plaster had fallen off the wall leaving the brick work exposed to the elements. Looking at the poor workmanship Dawn shook her head; Xander would have a fit if he saw this.

All the shutters covering the windows were open. However the windows were so dirty and the interior of the lodge was so dark that when Dawn tried to catch sight of what was inside she could see nothing clearly. Turning to look at Faith she once again silently asked the same question as before. Was there anything ‘bad’ close by? Faith shook her head but Dawn could tell the older woman was feeling as ill at ease about the place as she was. In a weird way it made her feel a little less nervous knowing that Faith was feeling the same way.

Everyone slowly congregated around the front door, the paint was peeling and the frosted glass that made up the top half of the door was cracked, Dawn gave an involuntary shiver. Feeling a hand slip into her own she gave it a squeeze and looked up into Faith’s eyes; immediately felt her heart skip a beat.

“Don’t sweat it,” Faith whispered, “I’ll look after ya…Buffy’d kill me if I let anything happen to ya.”

“Gee,” Dawn sighed a little disappointedly, “thanks.”

Opening the door (it hadn’t even been locked) Harris led the way into the building. Following everyone inside Dawn found herself in a short hall way with a flight of stairs just in front of her going up to the first floor. To the right there was another open door way leading into a large low ceilinged room. The room was dark and dusty with a black and white tiled floor and a ceiling that was only an inch or so higher than the top of the door.

There was a wooden table with a few uncomfortable looking chairs and what might have been an ancient washing machine over by one of the dirty windows. The walls were lined with shelves and cupboards; the shelves held old looking boxes and pieces of what could be torture devices, or more likely, strange kitchen utensils. What wall she could see was either a dirty grey colour or covered with a faded, hideous, flower pattern wallpaper. Dawn had decided that she wasn’t going to stay here any longer than she had to. Tomorrow, monsters lurking in the woods not withstanding, she was heading back to civilisation.

Jumping slightly at the sound of a heavy thump, Dawn turned to find Faith right behind her; she’d taken off her rucksack and dumped it on the floor. Dawn followed suit as the other members of the party filed into the room each with an identical look of fascinated disgust on their faces.

“This isn’t the right place,” Jill was the first to break the silence that’d descended on the group.

“This is the right place,” Dick insisted as he stood hands in pockets in the middle of the room.

“This is obviously not the right place,” Maggie announced from over by the door.

“Look this is the right place,” Dick turned to look at Billy who was already sitting in one of the kitchen chairs, “Billy?”

“Well,” Billy stood up and spread his hands helplessly, “there’s only one lodge on the map, so I suppose…”

“Thank-you…” Dick said shortly, he turned to address the rest of the group.

Dawn felt Faith pull on her t-shirt, she turned and Faith nodded her head towards the hall way, the two young women walked away from the bickering group. Hopefully out of earshot of the increasingly noisy office workers, Dawn and Faith held a rapid whispered conversation.

“Hey,” Faith nodded her head towards the stairs leading up to the first floor, “I’m gonna take a look ‘round…I need to pee anyway.”

“Yeah, totally good idea,” Dawn looked around nervously, she really didn’t like this place, “can I come with?”

“I think I can pee by m’self!” Faith gave her a wicked grin, “Unless that sorta thing turns you on.”

Dawn opened her mouth to give a firm denial but was silenced before the words were even on her tongue.

“Just kidding, Dawnie,” Faith put her hand on Dawn’s shoulder and she felt her heart miss a beat at Faith’s touch, “look I want you to keep an eye on these bozos okay?”

Dawn nodded her head.

“Don’t worry,” Faith seemed to be picking up on Dawn’s unease, “I’ll be quick,” she turned to go but looked back over her shoulder to give Dawn another encouraging smile, “It’s all five by five Dawnie, you’ll see.”

0=0=0=0

“At least the plumbing works,” Faith said to herself as she pulled the bathroom door closed behind her.

As she walked along the narrow corridor, the bare boards under her feet squeaked; no one would be able to move around up here without her hearing them. Trailing her hands along the grubby peeling wallpaper she peered into each of the bedrooms as she passed by. They were all pretty much the same, mismatched furniture, threadbare carpets or dusty old rugs on the floor. No worse than a lot of places she stayed at or lived in over the years; they were all one-hundred percent better than prison. At least each room had a window.

Turning a corner Faith found another flight of stairs; climbing up them she forced open the door at the top of the stairs and looked into the room beyond. It was a roof space, a long room full of old furniture, trunks and spider webs. The grey filtered evening light coming in through the windows didn’t reveal any hidden monsters or guys in robes clutching sacrificial knives. Shrugging her shoulders, Faith closed the door and headed on back downstairs to rejoin Dawn.

Dawn, Faith paused in mid stride, what was it she was feeling towards Dawn? Was it just normal protectiveness? After all Dawn was a nice kid and considering their history, in fact the history between herself and all the Summers’ women, she’d welcomed Faith into her home and even offered to help her in her efforts to ‘improve’ herself. Plus she was really cute. Hesitating for a moment longer, Faith wondered why she’d thought that, shrugging her shoulders and not being naturally given to introspection, she dismissed the thought from her mind and headed on downstairs.

0=0=0=0

“I can’t spell success,” Dick had been trying to ‘jolly’ everyone along for the last five minutes, he didn’t appear to be having much ‘success’ he pointed to each team member in turn, “without ‘U’ and ‘U’ and…”

“There’s only one ‘u’ in ‘success’,” observed Harris tiredly.

Standing to one side of the room, Dawn had tried to remain unnoticed. It had worked to a degree mainly because everyone else was too busy quarrelling to really pay much attention to her. It appeared more than obvious to Dawn that Jill’s first impression was correct. They were indeed at the wrong building, Jill had read out the letter inviting them on this weekend and the term ‘Luxury Lodge’ simply did not fit this dirty, dusty hell hole.

Movement drew Dawn’s eyes over to Steve; the mushrooms he’d consumed were really starting to take effect. He was breathing rapidly and a sheen of sweat covered his face. Suddenly he stood up and began to head towards the door, which was odd as he was still sitting on his chair against the wall. Dawn smiled as one of him walked by and out into the overgrown garden. Nobody else noticed because as far as they were concerned he was still sitting in the chair. This was one of the effects of the mushrooms; Dawn remembered reading about it in one of Willow’s books. It was a sort of Astral Projection, it only lasted a few minutes and then Steve would go back to his old self…whatever that was.

The group had gone back to squabbling again, and the evening light was getting dimmer made even worse by the lack of light through the dirty windows. Seeing a light switch on the wall, Dawn walked over and switched it on, nothing happened. It looked like it was time for her to take charge; if they didn’t like it she could always get Faith to beat them up.

“Hey guys,” Dawn stepped into the middle of the room, everyone ignored her, Dawn tried again, “HEY, GUYS!” This got their attention. “Look,” Dawn smiled nervously at all the faces that were turned towards her, “it’s getting dark and the lights don’t work, maybe there’s a generator or something? Maybe someone should go find it and switch it on?”

“What…!” Dick turned towards Dawn about to demand who the hell she thought she was to give him orders.

“The student’s got a point,” Harris stood up from where he’d been leaning against a table; he nodded for Gordon to follow him and the two men headed outside.

“Good…good thinking,” Dick stammered, “I think it might be an idea if we all found our rooms and had a rest.”

“Best idea you’ve had all day,” Maggie commented.

0=0=0=0

Sitting in what appeared to be a lounge, Dawn and Faith smiled with relief as the lights flickered on.

“So,” Dawn asked quietly, “no ogly-boglies in the loft?”

“Nah, just more dust and dead spiders,” Faith confirmed.

“That’s normal sized spiders, right?” Dawn asked warily, “And you’ve had no ‘feelings’ about anything?”

“Only how I’d like to ring the necks of these jerks,” Faith pointed out.

“I know what you mean,” Dawn sympathised, “like they’ve got no idea…”

Just then the door to the garden opened and in walked Harris, a full sized skeleton in one hand and a bundle of files in the other. He left the skeleton to stand by the door and threw the files onto the table in the middle of the room.

“Yeah,” Harris looked down at the two young women, “precisely what have we got no idea about and who are you…exactly?”

Dawn felt Faith start to tense as Harris walked across to the windows on the other side of the room; he looked out into the almost pitch black garden. Dawn put a restraining hand on Faith’s arm and shook her head, now was not a good time to start beating up people…later maybe, but not now.

“I don’t know what you mean?” Dawn replied nonchalantly.

“Oh, come off it,” Harris turned to face them; “I’m not stupid you know. There’s no way you’re students. You,” he pointed at Dawn, “you’re too young and you,” he moved his arm to point at Faith, “you’re too old. And another thing while you,” he looked back at Dawn, “could possibly pass for a first year student your friend is so obviously too poorly educated that…”

“Why you!” Faith started to get to her feet; Dawn grabbed hold of the back of Faith’s jeans and tried to hold her back, much to her surprise she succeeded.

“There,” smirked Harris, “I rest my case.”

“Faith!” Dawn said warningly, reluctantly Faith retook her seat.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr Harris,” Dawn said with all the injured innocence she could muster, she felt like she needed to add something, “Faith’s on a sports scholarship and…”

“Oh give me a break,” Harris laughed, “I don’t know who you are or what you’re up to, but I’m watching you.”

Before Dawn or Faith could say anything more, Steve stumbled in from outside. Standing in the doorway he looked around the room his eyes coming to rest on the skeleton.

“Oh no,” he groaned before heading on up to his room.

0=0=0=0

“I can’t believe it,” Billy sat at the table in the lounge studying one of the files Harris had brought in earlier, “I’d no idea that Palisade were this involved with bio-enhancement.”

Faith stood looking out the window only half listening to what everyone was saying; she was more interested in the growling she’d heard out in the garden a few minutes ago. Anyway, what the fuck was bio-enhancement?

“You’re joking right?” scoffed Harris as he threw another file on the table.

“Where did you get this stuff?” Billy glanced up from the file he was studying.

“There was a load of them out by the generator,” Harris explained, “there’s stacks of it out there.”

“Let me see,” Dawn said quietly as she sat down next to Billy and filched a file from the pile on the table.

Opening the file, Dawn started to read and almost immediately felt her stomach start to churn. She remembered this, well the monks had put the memories in her mind and she really wished they hadn’t. Willow had told her a lot too; she’d said Dawn needed to know just in case it ever happened again. It was beginning to look as if it had happened again. It was also beginning to look obvious to her that the Initiative hadn’t died when Buffy and the guys had taken down the base in Sunnydale. It looked as if someone…someone in Palisade had somehow got hold of the files and had started to do their own little experiments. Leafing through the pages speed reading as she went, Dawn would, every now and then stop to read something more closely and look at the photographs.

“There’s a story,” this was Jill who was standing at the head of the table reading another file, “a rumour really…” her voice trailed off for a moment as everyone turned to look at her. “A few years ago the British Government got hold of some files that they passed on to the British subsidiary of Palisade. They were US Department of Defence files about a project to enhance soldiers using parts from animals…although from these photo’s I don’t know what sort of animals they were using…”

Jill continued with her story as Dawn got up and walked over to stand beside Faith.

“What’s up?” Faith didn’t know what everyone was talking about but she could sense the mood in the room had changed.

“We’ve got trouble,” Dawn whispered too low for normal human ears to hear, “sounds like it’s the Initiative all over again.”

Faith raised a questioning eyebrow.

“I’ll explain later,” Dawn continued, “in the mean time we need to totally contact Giles; we’re going to need, like, mucho fire power.”

“No can do, Dawnie,” Faith turned her head slightly towards Dawn, “I tried to check in earlier,” she held up her phone, “no signal.”

“Crap,” breathed Dawn in despair; it looked like they were on their own.

“And what are you two whispering about?” Unnoticed Harris had crept up behind them; guiltily Dawn turned to face the man.

“Whispering?” Dawn queried, “Whispering, we’re not whispering, no sir! Oh look,” Dawn pointed across the room, “here’s Gordon with a pie!”

0=0=0=0

“Feast your eyes on this!” Gordon placed the pie on the table, “Mind it’s hot.”

Everyone slowly started to put down the files and took their places around the table. Dawn gave Faith a relieved look and went over to join the others.

“Actually smells quite good,” Steve said as he started to cut into the pie, he’s had half an hour’s rest and appeared fully recovered from the effects of the mushrooms he’d eaten earlier.

Eventually they were all sitting at the table helping themselves to pie, all that is except Maggie who stood over by the door smoking a cigarette.

“Hey gang!” Dick appeared in the room coming down from upstairs, “How are we doing?”

There were unconvincing cries of ‘brilliant’ from the people around the table, Dick rubbed his hands together and smiled with false jollity.

“Hi Maggie,” Dick looked over at the young woman who was still standing apart from the group, “not eating?”

“Why are you all obsessed with what I eat?” Maggie wanted to know; Dawn and Faith shared a look. “I am not too skinny.”

“No, no, no,” Dick tried to sound friendly and concerned, he couldn’t quite pull it off, “I don’t mean…I mean you’re perfect as you are.” Dick noted the look on Maggie’s face, miss reading it he dug his hole a little deeper. “Not in a sexual way of course, no…more, more like as if I was one woman talking to another…if, if you see what I mean not that there’s anything wrong with that…I mean, um not that there’s anything wrong with that sort of thing if…”

“Keep digging, Dick,” called Steve from across the table, “we can still see you!”

“Yeah,” Faith smiled, “sounds like he’s a lesbian trapped in a man’s body.”

Everyone laughed just as Steve started to choke.

“Oh my god!” Steve spat something out onto the table.

“What is it?” Jill wanted to know as everyone turned to look at the computer guy.

“It’s a tooth!”

0=0=0=0


	4. Chapter 4

4.

“It’s a tooth!”

“Bit young to be losin’ ya teeth,” Faith got up from her seat to get a better look at the offending object.

“It’s not my tooth!” there was just hint of panic in Steve’s voice.

“Maybe it’s just a clove,” Dick suggested.

“Does it look like a fucking clove?” Steve demanded, then added, “I think I’m gonna puke.”

Picking up the tooth, Faith passed it to Dawn so she could examine it.

“Could it be a cows tooth?” Gordon asked looking at Dawn hopefully.

“With gold fillings?” Dawn dropped the tooth on the table and wiped her hands on the legs of her jeans.

“Who made the pie?” Steve, quite understandably, wanted to know; everyone turned to look at Gordon.

“I didn’t make it,” Gordon replied defensively, “I found it.”

“You did what?” Dawn was really feeling quite ill now as the full implications of finding a human tooth in the pie struck home.

“I found it,” repeated Gordon looking around the table at his colleagues.

“You found a pie?” Faith crossed her arms over her chest and looked belligerently at Gordon.

“It was wrapped in foil,” Gordon explained as if that made everything alright.

“Oh well,” Steve drank from a glass of water, “that’s okay then.”

Starting to retch Jill realised what sort of meat might have been in the pie. Steve stood up and looked as if he was about to hit Gordon. Faith caught Dawn’s eye and signalled her to come and stand next to her; Maggie walked over to the table and immediately sized up the situation.

“Okay,” Maggie held up a hand in a placatory gesture, “everyone calm down.” She ran round the table to where Jill was coughing and retching, “Come on Jill,” Maggie helped Jill to her feet, “come with me.”

“Ooh! I’m going to me sick!” Jill wailed as Maggie led her out into the garden.

“Okay, I’m sorry everybody,” Gordon stood up and looked around the table at the faces that stared at him accusingly, “I thought it was a welcome gift.”

“From who?” Steve wanted to know.

“Hannibal Lecter?” Faith suggested.

Giggling at Faith’s remark, Dawn just couldn’t help herself seeing the funny side; after all she’d seen in her life a pie which might or might not be made of ‘person’ didn’t rate that highly. Unfortunately no one else appeared to appreciate Faith’s graveyard humour and turned to glare at her. Unabashed, Faith returned their looks with interest.

“I cooked it for the full hour,” Gordon cunningly drew everybody’s attention back onto himself.

“It had instructions?” Dick asked incredulously.

“No,” Gordon gestured helplessly at the offending pie, “but it’s a pie…you cook pies for an hour.”

“You don’t cook every pie for an hour,” Harris explained, displaying here-to-fore unsuspected culinary expertise.

“You don’t think I undercooked it do you?” Gordon asked quietly.

“Fucking ‘ell!” Steve shook his head in disgust.

“Yeah, okay,” Faith stepped forward and produced a large, sharp knife from behind her back before plunging it into the remains of the offending pie. “There!” she cried triumphantly, “It’s dead…” her voice faltered as she noticed half a dozen pairs of eyes staring at her, “What?” she asked innocently.

“Right!” Dawn pushed herself forward and heard everyone’s eyes click onto her, “Okay,” she smiled nervously, “now Faith’s killed the nasty pie, lets just throw it away.” Dawn tried to remove the knife from the pie, it wouldn’t budge, “Faith?” she gestured to the weapon.

Reaching to take hold of her knife, Faith easily pulled it from the pie; Dawn picked up the offending object and threw it in the bin, “Happy now?” she asked.

“Great,” Harris examined the hole that Faith’s knife had made in the table, “that makes me feel a whole lot safer.”

0=0=0=0

**Some time later.**

Already in bed, Dawn watched Faith as she dried herself off after her shower. Knowing she shouldn’t be taking so much interest in Faith’s firm, supple and incredibly attractive body, Dawn dragged her eyes away and tried to think of something else.

“So w-what do you think?” Dawn asked as she studiously studied the appalling wallpaper.

“I think we get to somewhere we can call Slayer Central,” Faith stood and brushed her hair watching herself in the mirror, “an’ get some reinforcements. Just like you said Dawnie.”

“Cool,” Dawn agreed breathlessly, she’d found herself watching Faith again, “We-we’ll get somewhere high and try the phones again, right?”

“Whatever you say,” Faith stopped brushing her hair and studied herself in the mirror, she turned to look at Dawn, “I’m thinking of cutting my hair shorter, what d’ya think?”

“NO!” Dawn almost sat up in shock, “Um, I mean no, it’s perfect like it is.”

“Y’think?” Faith pulled her hair up on top of her head and looked at herself in the mirror.

“Uh-huh,” Dawn’s eyes roamed over Faith’s body drinking in her beauty, “Phew!” she gasped pushing back the covers, “Is it me or is it hot in here?”

“Hey!” Faith bounced onto the bed and started to pull back her side of the covers ready to climb in, “What about that pie?” she grinned as she climbed in next to Dawn, “Do y’think stabbing it was goin’ too far?”

“No-no,” Dawn felt strangely excited as she felt Faith toss and turn next to her as she tried to get comfortable. 

The bed was a double bed but only a very small one, if Dawn lay on her side at the edge of the mattress, she wouldn’t touch Faith by accident. As long as she didn’t touch Faith everything would be okay and she’d get over these ‘feeling’ she was having for the dark haired, incredible beautiful and athletic woman lying beside her. Groaning with frustration, Dawn closed her eyes and tried to get to sleep.

0=0=0=0

A long, loud scream split the night just as Dawn was drifting off. In an instant, Faith had leapt from the bed and dressed only in her panties and a t-shirt she’d grabbed one of her knives and had opened the door into the corridor. Dawn was only a couple of seconds behind her; brandishing her small battleaxe and dressed in her Winnie the Pooh nightdress she followed Faith towards the scream.

Following the sound of the scream to Jill’s room they burst in only to make the poor woman scream all the louder on being confronted by two young women wielding sharp looking melee weapons.

“Okay! Okay!” Dawn lowered her battleaxe and tried to calm the woman down; Faith rushed over to the open window and looked out, “What’s wrong?”

“Th-there was a man at my window!” Jill had stopped screaming and was now sitting on the edge of her bed trembling as Dawn put a comforting arm around her.

“Faith?” Dawn flicked her eyes towards the door.

“On it!” Faith turned and headed out the room just as Harris and Maggie burst in.

“What’s the matter?” Harris demanded.

“What’s wrong?” Maggie asked as she joined Dawn and Jill on the bed; by now all the others had arrived outside Jill’s room.

“There was a man at my window,” Jill repeated.

“Yeah,” Dawn agreed, “Faith’s checking now.”

“She is?” Harris looked down at Dawn catching sight of the battleaxe that rested on the bed next to her.

“What did he look like?” Dick had just that moment forced himself into the room.

“He had a mask;” Jill wheezed, “where’s my inhaler?”

“You’ve not been at my mushrooms have you?” Steve wanted to know.

“Shut up!” Dawn and Maggie said in unison.

“Apparently Faith is looking for him,” Harris told everyone.

“By herself?” Dick turned to look at Harris.

“No she had her knife with her,” Harris pointed out.

“Oh,” Dick relaxed, “that’s alright then.”

“Come on,” Harris started to move towards the door, “we’d better go and look too.”

Alone in the room with Jill and Maggie, Dawn looked from the frightened woman to the still open window. Getting up she crossed the room then turned to look at Jill, she was calmer now that Maggie had found her inhaler.

“Jill,” Dawn asked slowly, “you said he was wearing a mask?” Jill nodded her head, “What sort of mask? Was it a fright,” Dawn hesitated still not sure what some things were called on this side of the Atlantic, “um, like a Halloween mask?”

“No…no,” Jill shook her head as she regained her breath, “it was worse than that.”

“Worse?” Dawn pulled a face and glanced at Maggie who was still trying to comfort Jill.

“Yes,” Jill nodded her head she seemed to have regained some control of her breathing now, “it was like someone had stitched two heads together…”

“Like Frankenstein’s monster?” Maggie suggested.

“Yeah, sort of,” Jill agreed.

“It was probably some kids playing a prank,” Dawn tried to sound reassuring.

“What? Way up here?” Maggie said before she noticed the look Dawn was giving her, “Oh, yeah of course,” Maggie tried to correct herself, “they could be camping close by.”

“Yeah,” Dawn nodded her head, “its probably kids camping near by.”

“You think?” Jill asked looking from one woman to the other.

0=0=0=0

Running silently between the trees, Faith searched for whatever had been looking into Jill’s window. All she could hear was thunder rumbling in the distance and the sound of the wind in the trees. To her enhanced slayer ears it all sounded as noisy as a city street; there was no way she’d find anything by listening for it. Stopping she closed her eyes and took a couple of deep calming breaths before opening her eyes again.

Looking through the blackness under the trees, Faith saw nothing at first. Until she noticed something flit between two trees, instantly she became alert and started to move stealthily between the trees hunting her prey like some incredibly lithe, sexy, big-cat. Whatever it was she was hunting made an incredible amount of noise as it blundered through the dead branches and pine needles that lay on the forest floor.

Working her way around the creature so she was in front of it, Faith waited behind a tree. Just as the beast stumbled by, she sprang out knife raised high ready to strike.

“AAAAAAGH!” Gordon screamed as he caught sight of the half-naked, knife wielding, Amazon who’d just appeared in front of him.

“F’FUCKS SAKE!” Faith yelled as she lowered her knife, her heart pounding in her chest as she realised just how close she’d come to killing Gordon.

“Ohgodohgodohgod!” gasped Gordon as he collapsed against a tree, “You-you know that’s dangerous, running around with a knife like that?”

“Yeah well,” Faith didn’t know what to say, then she smelt something, “Jeez, man,” she waved her hand in front of her nose, “you just crap y’self?”

“What’s going on here?” Harris ran over waving a torch about and managing to ruin Faith’s night vision.

“Beardy boy here,” Faith gestured to Gordon, “crapped himself when I jumped out from behind a tree.”

“She was going to stab me,” wailed Gordon as he walked stiff legged towards the lodge.

“But I didn’t!” Faith called after him.

“You better give me that knife,” Harris held out his hand.

For an instant Faith considered plunging her blade through this his hand, but she decided against it, Dawn probably wouldn’t like it.

“You want it,” Faith grinned as she rammed the blade into a handy tree trunk, “you take it.”

Waiting for a couple of minutes as Harris made a fool of himself trying to pull the knife from the tree. Faith smiled and pulled the weapon effortlessly from the tree truck. With a toss of her head she walked off towards the lodge trying to ignore Harris’ eyes which were burning holes in her back.

0=0=0=0

“We need to get out of here,” Maggie told Dick as they all stood or sat around Jill’s room, Dawn nodded her head in agreement.

“Yeah,” Dawn stood up and went to look out the window, “it’s like too weird up here.”

If she could get everyone to leave it would make things so much easier when Giles flooded the area with slayers.

“Talking of weird,” Maggie looked down to where Dawn’s axe lay on the bed.

“Oh yeah that,” Dawn swallowed, “my big sister’s really protective, she won’t let me go out without protection.”

No one looked convinced.

“Yeah I’m leaving,” Jill looked up a Dick, “in the morning I’m going, even if I have to walk to the nearest town.”

“No one’s going anywhere,” Dick tried to stamp his authority on the situation just as Harris and Faith entered the room.

Giving Faith a questioning look and receiving a slight shake of the head in reply, Dawn noticed Faith’s dirty feet. Seeing Billy and Steve standing in the corridor she asked where Gordon was.

“Um he had to clean himself up,” Faith grinned.

“Alright gang, this is what’s going to happen,” Harris stepped forward, “Tomorrow morning we go to the top of the hill and try and get a signal. Get somebody to come and pick us up.”

“Go on my son,” cheered Steve.

“Great idea,” added Maggie.

“Just a minute…” began Dick but was interrupted my Dawn.

“All those in favour raise your hand and say ‘Yay!’,” Dawn put up her and said ‘yay!’, there was a ragged chorus in favour, “There motion passed, now lets get back to bed.”

Everyone started to troop out of Jill’s room and off to their own.

“Hey!” Dick called after everyone, “No that is not what’s going to happen. Anyone who leaves won’t have a job to come back to.”

“I don’t care,” Jill pushed Dick towards the door.

“Not bothered,” called Faith as she headed for the bathroom to wash her feet.

“I’m with her,” Dawn called as she went back to her and Faith’s room.

“I’m gonna follow the totty,” announced Steve just before he closed his door.

0=0=0=0

**Saturday.**  
Coming slowly awake, Faith started to become aware of the early morning light creeping in around the edges of the curtains. Shifting a little she became conscious of the soft, warm body that had wrapped itself around her own. Smiling sleepily she snuggled up to the body and sighed contentedly, she felt Dawn’s arms tighten slightly as she held on to her. Not really paying much attention to what she was doing Faith started to stroke the bare arm that lay across her ribs. Her fingers lingered as the passed over Dawn’s velvety smooth skin; Faith felt her own nipples start to harden as Dawn pressed into her side with her breasts. Moaning sleepily, Dawn moved her leg up over Faith’s and started to rub herself against her thigh. Just as Faith was about to push the younger girl onto her back and climb on top of her, her eyes flew open.

“OH MY GOD!” Faith sat up in bed pushing Dawn away as she did so, “Oh god I’m sorry I didn’t…”

“Wa?” Dawn looked up rubbing the sleep from her eyes, “Why’d you move? It was all warm and snugly and…OH MY GOD!”

Dawn joined Faith in sitting up in bed, the two young women looked at each other as they realised what had so nearly happened then turned away quickly. For a moment the only sound in the room was their rapid breathing.

“Um,” Dawn shifted a little further way from where Faith sat, “like, isn’t it time to get up?”

“Yeah sure,” agreed Faith as she swung her legs out of bed and put them on the floor, “wouldn’t wanna be late.”

“Totally,” Dawn concurred studiously avoiding looking at Faith as she too got up and pulled her nightie straight.

“Just going for a shower,” Faith bundled up her clothes and headed out of the door as if all the demons of hell were after her.

0=0=0=0


	5. Chapter 5

5.

“I still want to go home.”

Like everyone else Jill stood on the patio at the back of the lodge. It was about eight o’clock in the morning and everyone was standing around listlessly wondering when they’d be heading home or at least away from this god-awful place. Dawn and Faith were the only ones sitting; they were perched on a low wall next to each other but not actually touching, it was almost as if there was some kind of invisible barrier between them.

Over by the treeline, Maggie cut a wheel of local cheese into manageable chunks; it was the only food they had that they were fairly sure they knew what it was made from. It was also the _only_ food in the lodge; it’d been bought by Dick who turned out to be some sort of cheese fanatic.

“Okay, er, listen up,” Dick clapped his hands together to get everyone’s attention; standing on the steps leading into the lodge, Dick looked down at everyone, “Er, I’ve made a decision. We’re going to sit tight,” the announcement was met by a chorus of groans from his audience. “We sit tight while Harris and Jill go up the hill and erm see if they can get a phone signal.” 

Everyone’s faces lit up at this news and Faith could feel the tension leach out of the air, she nudged Dawn with her elbow. “You go with ‘em, right?” she whispered, Dawn nodded her head in agreement.

“Erm, get the coach driver to come and pick us up,” continued Dick.

“Oh sweet!” gasped Steve in relief.

“I’ve made this decision purely because of the food situation,” explained Dick, “and it's conditional…while they’re gone the rest of us will do a little team building.”

“YES!” Gordon cried punching the air.

0=0=0=0

**A little time later.**

“Excuse me,” Gordon stood in front of the little group of office workers, clipboard clutched in his hand, “I just want to make it really clear, erm, before we begin, that paint-balling is all about team work.”

“Yeah, right,” Faith stood off to one side of the group looking bored.

After the meeting the group had split up and Faith had found herself in the paint-balling team. They’d been given paint-ball guns and masks and then they’d gone off into the woods further down the track from the lodge. When Gordon thought they were a safe distance from the building, he brought everyone to a halt and started on his ‘Health and Safety’ lecture.

“So no Rambo’s,” Gordon said all this with a big excited grin on his face, he at least was having the time of his life. “I repeat, absolutely no Rambo’s!”

“Yeah, okay, y'made y'point,” Faith stepped forward and gestured with her paint-ball gun at Gordon who looked for a moment as if he thought Faith was going to shoot him. “Look,” Faith stood nonchalantly in front of the group her head to one side, “let’s make this interesting, eh?”

The little group of office workers just stood around and collectively shrugged their shoulders. Anyone with half a brain could see they didn’t want to be there. When no one objected, except for Gordon who was rapidly silenced by a glare from Faith, she explained what she had in mind.

“Look,” Faith grinned, “give me a count of a hundred then come and find me,” Faith’s grin got wider, “if ya can.”

“Now that’s a very interesting offer,” Dick began, “but don’t…” he slowly stopped talking and looked around, “Did anyone see where she went?”

0=0=0=0

Walking along behind Jill and Harris, Dawn noticed that they appeared to be going downhill rather than up. Just as she was about to point this out to them the two ‘adults’ started to talk about landmines that pinned you to the ground rather than blew off your legs. Jill seemed to think that weapons should be humane, which was a rather odd position to take when you worked for an arms company; at least Dawn thought so.

Tuning out the bickering arms manufacturers, Dawn concentrated on the trees that loomed over the track. Here the trees grew right up to the track-way and were spaced too closely together to get a good view into the forest. After a while, Dawn stopped trying to see if anyone was following them or stalking them and went back to listening to what Jill and Harris were talking about; they’d somehow got onto the topic of guillotines. Harris was explaining that you could still be aware of what was going on around you three minutes after your head had been cut off.

“A Goohoosh demon can live for several days after being decapitated,” Dawn volunteered; she suddenly found herself looking into the puzzled faces of both Jill and Harris. “If…if you, like believe in that sort of thing,” Dawn smiled weakly as they continued their walk, they still seemed to be going down hill instead of up.

0=0=0=0

Moving silently between the trees, Faith got herself into a good firing position and waited for Steve and Billy to walk into her ambush. Signing quietly to herself, Faith had soon realised that these bozos weren’t much fun; they were hardly giving her a workout. Smiling to herself she gave a quite chuckle, even little old Dawnie could give these assholes a run for their money; Faith suddenly found herself thinking about Dawn again. How her body had felt against her own as they had lain in bed together…together. Dragging her mind back from that place solely occupied by Dawn and a big double bed, Faith sighted on her victims over the top of her paint-ball gun.

Look at them, she thought as her wolf grin got wider, wandering along talking to each other, anyone would think they were on their way to church or something. Faith was just about to open fire when her slayer senses started to yammer. Slowly, carefully, she melted back behind the tree she was using for cover before carefully scanning the forest for danger. The area they were using had widely spaced trees and little undergrowth which meant she could see a good fifty yards or more.

There was something out there, something that was moving stealthily between the trees, Faith watched the woods as only a slayer could. There was definitely someone out there; she started to wish that she’d got a real weapon rather than the paint-ball gun that she clutched tightly in her hands. Just as she was about to check on Steve and Billy’s location, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head a little, Faith thought she saw someone move slowly between two trees and then…and then vanish.

Shaking her head, Faith suddenly became aware of birds and small animals moving about the forest floor; Steve and Billy talking quite loudly as they walked by where she lay hidden. Her inner slayer had stopped her warning signals; it was almost as if nothing had happened. What the hell? Faith rolled over and sighted her weapon on the two men as they walked past her position, she shot each of them in the back, twice.

0=0=0=0

Walking along the track, Dawn was the first one to see it; the coach stood half buried in the trees at the side of the track.

“Hey, you guys,” Dawn pointed at the coach, “like, look.”

Harris stopped what he was saying as he and Jill joined Dawn in looking at the coach. The passenger door stood open with a large jagged hole in its glass. The windscreen was cracked and when they looked inside they found a trail of blood leading from the driver’s seat towards the real of the coach.

“You think he crashed?” Jill asked uncertainly.

“I don’t know,” Harris moved a little further into the coach searching for the driver.

Hanging back, Dawn examined the outside of the coach, there were several holes in the coach’s windows and one or two in its body work; they looked suspiciously like bullet holes. Not finding the driver, Harris turned back to look down at the driver’s seat. There was blood there too, he reached forward and pulled the keys from the ignition before climbing down and joining Jill and Dawn on the track way. Walking around the bus they found a stream running down hill next to the track, and there on the opposite bank of the steam lay the driver.

“Oh my god!” gasped Jill.

“We’ve got to get the others,” Harris sounded as if he was beginning to think there was something really bad going on here.

Dawn was inclined to agree with him. Although she didn’t say anything, from her position the body looked as if the driver had been clawed to death.

“We can’t just leave him here,” Jill gestured towards the body, “can we?”

Obviously they could because Harris grabbed hold of both Jill’s and Dawn’s arms and started puling them towards the coach. Jumping into the driving seat as Dawn pulled the door closed; Harris started the engine and put the coach into gear. In a few moments the bus was heading back towards the lodge as fast as Harris dare drive.

0=0=0=0

Walking behind her victims, Faith smiled to herself, of course she'd won and each of the office workers had her mark on them while she was totally paint free. Strangely it had been Maggie who’d caused her the most trouble but even she had succumbed to the slayer’s superior hunting skills. Just as they arrived at the little grassy clearing where Gordon waited for them, Faith glanced over her shoulder; she’d got that feeling again like she was being hunted or followed. There was nothing there, of course and she brushed the feeling off, they were only a few yards from Gordon now.

“Safety catches off,” she whispered to the Palisade party; everyone clicked their safeties to ‘fire’.

Gordon blundered through the trees towards them blowing his whistle.

“Here comes the ref,” muttered Steve quietly.

“Right,” Gordon was grinning like a maniac, “You really got into that, it was brilliant.” Gordon stood before the group clipboard in hand, “I think we bent a few rules there but…”

Lifting her gun Faith shot Gordon in the chest, moments later everyone was shooting at Gordon slowly covering him in green and orange paint splodges. Eventually everyone stopped shooting and stood around smiling at what they’d done; Gordon on the other hand didn’t look at all pleased.

“STOP!” Gordon cried as he took a step away from his tormentors, “That is really dangerous,” he waved his clipboard around as he pointed accusingly at his colleagues, “if you get one of those in your eye it could pop like a ping-pong ball!”

Everyone except Faith looked abashed at what they’d done, Faith on the other hand just said ‘Jerk,” under her breath.

“It’s not funny,” Gordon took another step backwards, “that hurts.”

Faith’s eyes fell to the grass behind Gordon, there was something odd about it; if she’d been a country girl rather than coming from the city perhaps she’d have been able to say something and warn Gordon in time. As it was she just stood there with a puzzled frown on her face until…

There was a loud metallic *SNAP!* as the jaws of the man trap snapped shut around Gordon’s leg and he started to scream in agony. Everyone rushed forward to help the man as he stood there screaming and waving his arms around. If Faith had got to him first, maybe she’d have been able to get the trap off him without causing too much more damage. As it was Billy and Steve got to him first and tried to prize the steel jaws off the man’s leg. The spring however proved too strong for them and it snapped shut again cutting deeper into Gordon’s leg and wrenching even louder cries from the man’s lips.

“Get outta the way,” Faith stepped forward and pushed Steve and Billy to the ground; she knelt down next to Gordon and took the metal jaws in her hands.

Heaving against the jaws, her slayer strength easily broke the spring that held the trap in place. Released from the trap’s grip, Gordon toppled over to fall onto the grass. Unfortunately his leg stayed exactly where it was.

“Fuck,” cursed Faith quietly, she’d been too late.

Turning to look at Gordon she saw the man rolling about in agony as blood pumped from his bloody stump. He’d lost his leg from just below the knee and if they didn’t do something soon the poor asshole would bleed to death. Just for an instant Faith wished Dawn was here, she knew about this sort of thing; Faith’d lost count of the number of slayers she’d seen Dawn patch up.

“Come on,” Faith jumped on Gordon grabbing hold of his leg and applying pressure to the wound, “do something!”

As people came out of shock, Faith was gratified to see the flow of blood lessen; Billy took off his belt and used it as a tourniquet. Okay, thought Faith, the guy might live now, but they needed to get him to a hospital…and who the hell leaves man traps lying around where people are likely to walk? Turning, Faith saw Dick go over and gingerly pick-up Gordon’s leg, he noticed Faith watching him.

“They might be able to reattach it,” he looked as if he was going to throw-up at any moment.

It was then that Faith noticed the other lumps in the grass. They were just like the bump that had hidden the trap that'd got Gordon. But, from her position sitting on the ground Faith could see metal and chains where they held the traps in place. Anyone could have seen them, she didn’t even need her super-slayer eyesight they were so obvious from this angle.

“DON’T ANYONE MOVE!” she cried out, even Gordon stopped screaming as everyone looked at Faith, “They’re all over the joint,” she pointed at the traps.

“What the fuck’s goin’ on ‘ere?” Steve voiced the question that was going through everyone’s mind as they looked around in horror at the traps.

Just then the coach turned up and stopped up on the track; Dawn, Harris and Jill jumped from the bus and started to run down the slope to where Gordon lay surrounded by his colleagues.

“What…?” Harris came to a halt when he saw Gordon’s truncated leg.

“Oh god!” Jill stumbled back up the slope a little.

“Faith?” Dawn came to a halt and looked at her friend hoping for some answers.

“The whole fucking place is booby trapped,” Faith told Dawn, “Gordon’s lost his leg and we need to get him to hospital, pronto!”

“Driver’s dead,” Dawn replied as she carefully inched her way over to where Faith crouched, “looked like he’d been clawed to death and there’s freakin’ bullet holes in the coach!”

“Shit,” spat Faith.

“Will-will someone please explain what you’re talking about,” demanded Maggie as she knelt next to Gordon holding his hand tightly in her own, “bullet holes?”

“No time for that!” Faith jumped to her feet, after giving the ground between herself and the bus a quick scan she turned and easily picked the injured man up.

“We’ve got to get out of here,” Dawn said loudly and firmly as she watched Faith carry Gordon up to the bus. “If we don’t we’ll all die!”

0=0=0=0


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Kneeling in front of the fridge on the coach, Steve pulled open the door. Inside he found bottled water and bottles of beer, he started to empty the fridge. To be honest he didn’t know what to feel worse about, leaving the beer to get warm or Gordon’s severed leg that lay on the floor beside him. Having emptied the fridge, he picked up the bloody leg and tried to fit it in the fridge…it wouldn’t fit!

For a minute he just knelt there and looked at the fridge and the leg, he tried fitting the leg in at an angle. No, that wouldn’t work either, he sighed with frustration. How the fuck was he supposed to get this fucking leg into the fucking fridge!? Just then an idea struck him; picking up the leg he removed its boot and sock, the leg fitted perfectly and he shut the door with a sigh of relief.

0=0=0=0

Glancing around the clearing next to the track, Faith saw nothing dangerous. The Palisade group were aboard the bus along with Dawn; she could see nothing through the trees, no maniacs with guns or demons charging towards her but…but she still had a feeling that someone or something was out there…watching, waiting. Climbing aboard the bus she pulled the door closed and turned to Harris who’d taken on the duties of driver.

“Drive,” she ordered; with the engine roaring the bus pulled away and slowly picked up speed as it took them towards safety.

0=0=0=0

By now Gordon had lost consciousness, Dawn had done what she could for the man. He wouldn’t bleed to death, they just had to get him to an Emergency Room before he slipped too deeply into shock. Leaving Maggie to look after the man, Dawn climbed to her feet and made her way along the swaying bus to Faith’s side.

“Did you see anything?” she asked as they looked out of the cracked windscreen at the road ahead.

“Nah,” Faith shook her head, “nothing that I could be sure of.”

“So you did see something,” Dawn persisted, “what did it look like?”

“I think I saw a man,” Faith replied uncertainly, “he was too far away to be sure but…it was probably just a shadow or something.”

“A man?” Jill got up from the seat she’d been quietly falling apart in and stared at the two young women, “You saw a man in the woods.”

“Maybe,” admitted Faith turning to look at her, “I can’t be sure.”

“And just when were you going to mention this?” Jill demanded as her fear and paranoia grew.

“I’m tellin’ ya now aren’t I?” Faith snapped belligerently.

“Okay,” Dawn tried to defuse the growing argument, “calm down, I’m sure it was nothing.”

“Harris!” Billy shouted from a few seats back, “You better slow down a little.”

“Slow down?” Harris sat hunched over the steering wheel like some demonic bus driver, “What sort of fucking stupid idea is that? We need to be out of here…Now!”

Tearing her eyes away from Jill, Faith glanced out of the windscreen: maybe they _were_ going a little too fast to be safe.

“Hey, Harris,” Faith gave a quick smile; she wished their Harris was driving the bus, at least he’d keep his head, “you better slow it down some.”

Not seeming to hear, Harris drove on; the bus started to sway alarmingly, they were going too fast, down slope on a narrow, badly made road; even Faith could see this was a recipe for disaster. It was just then she saw it, something like a chain lying across the road, something told her that driving over it _would not_ be a good idea. She was just about to shout a warning when she was thrown off her feet as Harris tried to avoid whatever it was on the road.

Looking up from where she half sat half lay on top of Jill, Faith was just in time to hear the front tires explode. There was the sound of rubber squealing on the tarmac and the smell of burning as Harris jammed on the breaks. The bus rocked from side to side like a ship in a stormy sea. People started to scream as the front of the coach was lifted up as if some huge creature had grabbed hold of the vehicle and was about to shake them all out onto the road.

As if moving in slow motion, Faith looked around for Dawn; she reached out to the girl managing to snag hold of her arm as the bus started to twist over onto its side. The movement of the bus threw Dawn into Faith’s arms which she wrapped around Dawn holding her close in an unbreakable embrace. Burying her face in Dawn’s hair, Faith felt the bus go over and the world began to spin. They found themselves being hurled around the inside of the bus like peas in a drum as glass smashed and metal was crushed out of shape. The world turned to black long before the bus stopped moving.

0=0=0=0

Waking up, Jill found herself lying on the floor of the bus, funny, she thought, the seats were all up on the wall now…weird. Moving slowly and painfully she sat up and looked around, no the seats weren’t on the wall the coach was on its side. That’s right, she thought dreamily, it'd crashed…she needed to get up and go for help. Hadn’t they been going for help? Hadn’t they been…? Jill’s mind shut down for a moment, slowly she pulled herself to her feet; she stopped and hung onto the back of a seat as a wave of nausea washed over her, closing her eyes for a moment she let the feeling pass.

“Must go…” she mumbled to herself and headed for the rear of the coach were the back window had been smashed out leaving a door sized escape route.

Hesitating as she stepped out of the bus onto the road, Jill pulled off her glasses and looked at them. Both lenses were broken, she tossed them to one side then put her hand to her forehead, it came away wet; she must be bleeding. Stumbling out onto the road, Jill made her way slowly around to the front of the bus. She saw Harris lying on the ground where he’d been thrown he seemed to be waving at her. Waving back, Jill staggered off into the forest.

0=0=0=0

Lying on the road in front of coach, Harris realised he must have broken several bones. Every time he’d tried to move, pain had lanced though him like white hot knives. He very quickly decided that it was probably best to say still. It was dark now, they must have been lying here for hours and the only person he’d seen climb from the bus was Jill. She’d looked at him in a vague sort of way and waved, just before she’d wandered off into the forest. Harris hoped that Jill and himself weren’t the only ones to have survived; if they were he was in deep shit!

The sound of a breaking twig attracted Harris’ attention, turning his head as far as he could he saw the boots and legs of a man standing just inside the tree line. Thank-god, he thought, must be a forester or someone. He opened his mouth to speak but anything he was going to say died on his lips as he saw the long thick blade in the man’s hand as he walked slowly towards where he lay. The horror Harris felt multiplied when he realised that the man wasn’t actually holding the blade; the blade was part of the man's arm.

“Oh shit!” gasped Harris as the man raised the blade and brought it sweeping down on his neck.

There was a sickening *CRUNCH!* as the blade cut through bone, cartilage and muscle. Harris saw the world spin about him as he tumbled across the ground. Coming slowly to a halt, Harris found he couldn’t move. He opened his eyes and saw his body lying headless two or three yards away. The last thing he saw before the world turned black was a hideous half-man, half-monster dressed in ragged pieces of camouflaged uniform walk off into the forest.

0=0=0=0

Lying in bed, Faith felt Dawn’s body pressing down on her own; she could smell Dawn’s scent as the girl’s hair covered her face. How had they come to be like this, Faith wondered, where were they? Why did it hurt to move? Best to stay still, Faith thought, this was cool she told herself, and it was nice to feel Dawn’s breasts squeezed up against her own, if it wasn’t for the hard thing sticking into her back…just what sort of bed was this? Faith’s eyes flew open to see Dawn’s sleeping face not more than a couple of inches from her own.

“Dawn?” Faith shook the girl gently and elicited a long, soft moan from her friend. “Dawn?” Faith shook her a little more forcefully, “Get offa me will ya?”

“Hmm?” Dawn tried to snuggle up closer moving her hand to rest on Faith’s boob, “Just five more minutes…”

“HEY!” Faith started to push herself up and push Dawn off her, the memory of what had happened was coming back to her, “I’m not a mattress, we’ve gotta get goin’.”

“W-WHAT!” Dawn woke up with a start, saw where her hand had been resting and moved it quickly away, “What happened?”

“We crashed,” now Dawn was fully off her, Faith could see what was going on, the bus was lying on its side and it was dark; they must have been here for hours.

“I know we crashed,” Dawn brushed little pieces of windscreen from her hair as she sat up next to Faith, “the ‘what happened’ thing was just like a place holder.”

“What?” Faith turned and frowned at her friend as she got shakily to her feet.

“Whatever,” Dawn accepted a hand from Faith and was pulled to her feet.

Bouncing upright, Dawn found herself only inches away from Faith’s lips; gods how she wanted to cross those last few inches and kiss her. To feel Faith’s strong arms around her and know instinctively that everything was going to be okay. Instead she looked down and away from Faith eyes, she coughed into her hand.

“Let’s check on everyone,” Dawn pulled herself away from Faith and started to make her way along the wrecked interior of the coach.

0=0=0=0

Moonlight filtered through the branches of the trees as Jill wandered aimlessly through the forest; she stumbled from one patch of silvery light to another as if she was in a dream. Standing in the middle of one pool of moonlight she reached up to her head again, her fingers felt the dampness of her hair; she brought her hand down in front of her face and looked at it puzzled by the black stuff on her fingers. Suddenly she realised what had happened; they’d crashed, she’d wandered away from the bus, she’d seen Harris lying injured on the road, she had to get back to the coach and help.

Turning to make her way back to the crash sight, Jill stopped before she’d even started to walk. The full horror of her situation hit her with blinding clarity, she’d absolutely no idea where the road was, she was completely lost. Standing still in the pool of silvery light, Jill tried to control the panic that squirmed in her chest like a big black snake that was out to crush and kill her. Sobbing quietly to herself she tried to remember which way she’d come, but everything looked the same which ever way she turned.

Just as she was about to take a step in what she hoped was the right direction, Jill heard something snap behind her. Bending slowly until she was crouched down, her hands searched frantically for some sort of weapon. Sighing with relief her fingers wrapped themselves around a piece of wood. Standing up slowly, clutching her club, Jill froze as she heard something move up behind her; she could almost feel its hot breath on the back of her neck, she could smell its vile stench, something like kerosene and rotting meat.

Whimpering and trembling with fear, Jill slowly turned to confront whatever was menacing her, she screamed as her eyes fell on the hideous misshapen mask of a face that leered down at her. Her cry of terror was cut off as a large hand clapped itself around her throat while another grabbed her around the waist pulling her towards the apparition’s tall, hard, stinking body. Her cries of fear were choked off as the monster started to drag her further into the forest.

Beating on the creature with her fists as best she could, Jill managed to move her head and bite down on the creature’s wrist. It cried out in pain, a strangely human cry escaping its mouth. Sensing her attacker loosen his grip on her, Jill fought free of its embrace and tried to run. But, it was dark, she’d already lost her glasses and she never saw the branch that lay just in front of her feet; she tripped and fell, with a startled cry she found herself on all fours on the ground. Sobbing with fear and panic she started to crawl away only to feel a large inhumanly strong hand grab hold of her ankle and drag her back.

Turning over, Jill tried to kick at the hand with the heel of her boot; it seemed that however hard she tried to kick, the hand held onto her ankle like an iron manacle. Fighting desperately, Jill didn’t see the blow coming until it was too late. The man-monster cuffed her on the side of her head. Jill’s world turned to pain and flashing lights; stunned she stopped her struggles and gazed up at her attacked as she fought to stay conscious.

The man-thing stared down at her and chuckled, a low, rumbling evil sound that filled Jill with dread. Blinking her eyes she looked into its face and saw a hideously disfigured caricature of a human face laughing down at her. There was no pity in those curiously mismatched eyes; the face appeared to have been sewn together out of three or four other faces, not all of them human. The monster reached out and started to pull at Jill’s clothes, ripping her fleece and tearing her blouse to expose her skin. As the creature paused to admire Jill’s smooth white skin, she realised what this thing must be; this was one of the so-called bio-enhanced soldiers from the file she’d read back at the lodge. Whoever had run the experiments must have just left them here when they’d finished.

Screaming, Jill struggled to escape the creature’s obscene embrace, it just laughed deep in its throat and ripped Jill’s bra from her body. It squeezed her breasts with hard, rough hands, Jill screamed the louder as she felt sharp claw like nails pierce her skin. The monster ripped and pulled at her trousers easily pulling them down. It climbed on top of her and Jill screamed in terror as she felt the monster’s hot hard phallus force its way into her. The pain was intense almost as if the she was on fire inside.

0=0=0=0

Waking up, Jill found herself tied painfully tightly against a tree, she couldn’t move, a rope had been tied across her mouth like a gag so she couldn’t even scream. She wept in fear and pain as the monster stood in front of her and laughed at her weak struggles. Her eyes wide with horror, Jill saw the creature advance towards her; it held a can of some kind in its hand. Something cold splashed over her face and exposed skin. Struggling piteously as she realised what the monster had thrown over her…petrol!

Standing back, the beast appeared to be drawing some sort of perverse pleasure from Jill’s panicking attempts to break free of her bonds. It opened its mouth wide and Jill thought she could see a little blue flame light up at the back of the monster’s throat. Before her mind had a chance to register the impossibility of what she was seeing her body was engulfed in flames and the sound of the monster’s laughter rivalled the agonised screams of Jill’s dying moments.

0=0=0=0


	7. Chapter 7

7.

“What’ve y’got?” Faith held the torch so Dawn could search through the filling cabinet.

The last hour had been like some sort of waking nightmare; Faith had carried Gordon on her back while Dawn had herded the other Palisade people along the track back to the lodge. It had been obvious to Dawn and Faith that Harris’ head had been cut off by something other than as a result of the crash. A quick search around the crash site hadn’t found any trace of Jill. Dawn’s suggestion that they head back to the lodge hadn’t meet with any serious objections. 

Everyone was hurting and suffering the effects of shock while Faith just shrugged off her cuts and bruises. The others limped and staggered along the track towards the hoped for safety of the lodge. Once back at their starting point people had begun to take more of an interest in their survival. Billy had suggested they barricade themselves in until morning; he and Steve started to enthusiastically nail wooden planks across the windows and pile furniture in front of the doors. Maggie’s suggestion that they needed to know more about what they were facing struck a cord in Dawn’s mind.

The files that Harris had found would give them more of an idea of what they were facing. This was how Faith and Dawn found themselves in the small concrete hut about fifty yards away from the lodge. The generator that supplied power to the house chugged away quietly in the corner of the room while Dawn rifled through the files. After searching through several drawers’ worth of files, Dawn seemed to find what she was looking for.

“Hold on,” she opened the file in her hand and leafed through its loose pages.

Running her eye over the closely typed columns she nodded to herself as Faith became more and more impatient.

“Well?” Faith demanded after a minute or two.

“Look,” Dawn glanced up from the file, “a lot of this is like Maggie Walsh’s research at the Initiative, but these Palisade people were a lot more successful. For a start their ‘creations’ didn’t massacre them.”

“So where are the fuckers?” Faith wanted to know; she’d really like to have a word or two with whoever had caused all this.

“Just coming to that,” Dawn’s eyes scanned the words as she turned the pages. “From what I can work out the budget for this ‘project’ was cut about eighteen months ago…”

“And the assholes just left their toys behind to kill everyone?” Faith growled angrily.

“Erm,” Dawn flicked through a couple more pages, “not so much,” she paused for a moment, “it says here that ‘measures’ where put in place to ‘terminate’ the results of the experiments once the staff were clear.”

“Looks like they didn’t work,” Faith glanced around the huts interior, “so what are we facing?”

“You’re not gonna like this,” Dawn frowned as she flipped back and forth through the file. “We’ve got up to a dozen human-demon hybrids each one with their very own special surprise.”

Dawn found herself moving closer to Faith as she read through the file; eager to draw comfort from the older woman’s presence.

“Like?” Without thinking Faith slipped her free arm around Dawn’s waist.

“Oh, the usual,” sighed Dawn, “built in blades, extra long prehensile tongues with those nasty little sharp barbs on the end. Plus there’s the standard super-speed and strength and just to add variety there’s at least one with fire breathing capability.”

“Cool,” commented Faith.

Dawn rested her head against Faith’s shoulder, “We could get lucky,” she observed, “one or two of them could be dead already.”

“Could,” replied Faith, she pulled Dawn a little closer, the heat of her body passing easily through her clothes; it had been so long since she’d held anyone like this, it felt so good and natural that she wanted to stay like this forever. “Hey,” she said reluctantly, “we better get back inside find some weapons.”

“Erm, yeah, right,” Dawn nodded her head and stepped away from Faith, “y-you’re totally right…crap! I musta left my axe on the coach.”

“Still got m’knife,” Faith grinned in the torch light as she pulled the knife from behind her back.

“I’ll take this,” Dawn held up the file, “Giles’ll probably want it for like evidence or something.”

“Come on,” Faith took hold of Dawn’s hand and lead her out of the hut and back towards the lodge.

0=0=0=0

“Aaaaagh!”

“What the fuck!?” Faith pushed the wooden dresser back into place in front of the front door.

“W-what?” Dick looked at her with fear filled eyes, he’d let them in just before the scream had drifted up from down stairs.

Rushing into the lounge area, Dawn found Steve, Maggie and Billy searching the room and checking the boards over the windows, there was no sign of Gordon.

“Where’s Gordon?” she demanded.

“He was here a moment ago,” Maggie pointed to the spot on the floor that was totally devoid of Gordon.

“Well,” Dawn placed her fists on her hips and started to sound suspiciously like her sister, “he’s not there now!”

“Look,” Billy stood by a door on the other side of the room, “this was locked.”

“Crap,” muttered Steve as he went to stand next to Maggie.

Running across the room and pushing Billy out of the way, Faith pulled the door wide open; a long terrified scream came from the darkness beyond. Not saying another word, she pulled her knife and plunged into the darkness.

“Where the fuck’s she going?” demanded Steve.

“Yeah,” Maggie stepped forward as if she was going to follow Faith into the darkness.

“Faith knows what she’s doing,” Dawn stepped forward and grabbed hold of Maggie’s arm preventing her from going any further, “come on, we better find weapons.”

0=0=0=0

The stairs led down into a cellar, as Faith crept along the corridor at the bottom of the stairs, her hand came into contact with a light switch. It was so black that even her slayer enhanced eyes revealed little of her surroundings. Holding her breath, she flicked the switch and the corridor was flooded with a soft yellowish light as a low powered light bulb flickered reluctantly into life. 

Now she had more light, Faith could see she was in a short corridor; there were three doors in the rough stone walls one of which was open. Hearing another agonised scream Faith hurried on down the corridor and through the door; she found herself in some sort of store room. Dead rabbits and birds hung from the ceiling but the smell of death in the room was nothing compared to the carnal house stench coming from the open door on the other side of the room.

A long, piteous cry of pain came to Faith’s ears; obviously whoever had snatched Gordon was wasting no time getting to work on his victim. Dodging silently between the hanging dead things, Faith was across the store and sneaking into the chamber beyond. Still there was no sign of Gordon and his tormentor; Faith could hear the sobs and pleading entreaties of the poor guy as whatever had taken him worked the sad jerk over. Wasting no more time Faith moved through a labyrinthine section of short corridors and small rooms.

Bursting into the last room, Faith heard the unmistakeable sound of a blade entering soft flesh. Gordon screamed and gurgled as the blood gushed from a great wound in his belly and bubbled from his mouth. The human-demon hybrid laughed loudly as it stepped back from Gordon’s limp corpse. Attacking, Faith raised her knife to thrust it into the monster’s back. The man-creature sensed her approached and turned to face his attacker.

Finding her first attack parried by a blade that grew from the creature’s wrist, Faith launched a series of vicious kicks, punches and knife thrusts that forced the creature across the room and into the corner. With the monster trapped it couldn’t use its weapon effectively but still managed to block most of Faith’s knife attacks. Making a dummy attack with her knife, Faith got the monster to commit its own weapon just as she stepped in close, dropped her knife and grabbed hold of the abominations head with both her hands. Twisting the creature’s head savagely to the left and then to the right, she heard the satisfying dead wood sound of the creature’s neck breaking.

Stepping back to watch the body fall, Faith smiled at a job well done before bending to retrieve her knife. Standing up again, Faith went over to Gordon and checked for a pulse. It was like she suspected, the poor smuck was dead; with most of his blood and guts decorating the cellar floor, he’d been unlikely to survive injuries like that. Turning to go Faith noticed the sounds of combat coming from above. Forgetting about Gordon she rushed towards the stairs.

0=0=0=0

“Faith knows what she’s doing,” Dawn stepped forward and grabbed hold of Maggie’s arm preventing her from going any further, “come on, we better find weapons.”

Seemingly accepting Dawn’s assurance, Maggie turned and started to look around the room for something to use as a weapon.

“Kitchen,” Dawn nodded to the door leading to the kitchen, “there’s bound to be knives or something.”

Moments later they were all standing in the lounge again; Dick toyed nervously with a hammer while Steve clutched a heavy frying pan in his hands. Dawn, Maggie and Billy had all found knives of varying lengths.

“We’ll be okay if we just stay here and wait for Faith,” Dawn informed them as calmly as she could.

“Just who the hell are you?” whispered Maggie.

“Just someone who grew up with this sort of thing,” Dawn replied, “look, once we get out of here I’ll give you the full lecture on what’s going on, okay? Until then let’s concentrate on staying alive, huh?”

Before anyone could argue with her the front door burst open sending the dresser flying down the corridor to explode into splinters as it hit the bottom of the stairs. Dick screamed and Steve swore at the top of his voice as the curiously misshapen figure of the man-demon stalked into the room. 

Not unnaturally, Dawn was the fist to move, rushing at the creature she held her knife low so she could strike upwards in a gutting thrust. The creature swept her attack contemptuously aside sending her staggering across the room to crash into the wall. Billy launched himself at the monster his knife held inexpertly high. The demon blocked his wild attack and jabbed with a spear-like hand burying it up to the wrist in Billy’s stomach.

Screaming from between clenched teeth Billy collapsed onto the floor; his hand clutched at the wound in his stomach as his blood splattered onto the floor. Still screaming in terror, Dick dropped his hammer and sprinted for the now open door, he disappeared into the night his cries of fear fading into the darkness. The monster turned with an evil grin towards the two humans who huddled together on the other side of the room. The monster advanced as Maggie and Steve retreated before it.

Shaking the cobwebs from her mind, Dawn looked up to see the demon with its back towards her as it advanced on Steve and Maggie. Searching the floor, Dawn saw where her knife had fallen; snatching it up she threw herself at the monster. Plunging her knife into the creature’s back again and again she watched as blood squirted in all directions. It got into her eyes and hair as the monster screamed in pain and tried to reach its attacker with its own weapon. Seeing his chance, Steve swung his frying pan hitting the monster on the side of the head with a resounding *CLANG!* of metal against bone.

Ducking under the creature’s flailing arms; Maggie thrust her knife into the beast’s belly. Again the man-demon roared in pain, more blood splattered the floor as the creature’s knees gave away and it fell to the ground. Seizing their chance the three humans stabbed and beat at the creature until it lay on the floor like some ragged, bloody, battered bundle of rags. When the creature moved no more they stood over it breathing heavily and holding their bloodied weapons in shaking hands. This was how Faith found them as she burst from the cellar door.

0=0=0=0

Running through the dark, Dick blundered from one tree to the next; he tripped over branches as he tried to escape the horror that he knew was just behind him. Almost running full tilt into a tree, Dick eventually stopped; he leaned his back against the tree trunk and slid to the ground as he sobbed into his hands. The monsters would find him and kill him; just as he was sure they had killed everybody else. He had to get away, he had to survive and get back to his wife and children.

The thought of his family had the effect of steadying him and he started to think more clearly. Reasoning that if he kept going down hill he would eventually get to a road or something, Dick started off into the night shrouded forest again. Taking more time he picked his way between the trees realising as he did so that he was probably making better time than running blindly through the night and crashing headlong into trees. The thought made him laugh as he walked into a small clearing.

Placing his foot carefully, Dick was horrified to hear the metallic click under his boot. He froze in fear, he knew exactly what he’d just stepped on; he’d worked in the arms industry long enough to know the sound of a landmine arming itself.

0=0=0=0

“Gordon’s dead,” announced Faith as she crossed the room to check on the body of the demon.

“So’s Billy,” Dawn climbed to her feet from where she’d been kneeling at Billy’s side; she said a quiet thank-you to the dead guy, if he hadn’t distracted the demon she’d be dead by now.

“You two okay?” Faith asked Steve and Maggie; they nodded their heads dumbly as they stared down at the patchwork monster that lay at their feet, “What do ya make of this Dawnie?”

Walking over to the dead demon, Dawn pulled the demons rags aside so she could get a better look.

“I’d say pieces from at least three different demons,” Dawn pushed her blood splattered hair from her face, “I’d need my books to tell you exactly what they were…anyway I think its dead.”

“Think it’s dead?” Maggie asked incredulously, “you only think its dead?”

“Yeah,” Steve stepped forward still clutching his frying pan, “we beat it to a pulp and you only ‘think’ its dead?”

“Yeah,” Faith shrugged her shoulders, “lets not stay ‘round here and see if she’s wrong, huh?”

“No, look,” Steve looked from Faith to Dawn and back again, it was almost as if he was trying to decide who to hit first. “W-what the fuck’s goin’ on here?” he demanded. “You’re talking about these things as if you see them everyday or something.”

“Well,” Dawn shrugged and tried to smile reassuringly, “like not these, but things like them…and totally not _every_ day.”

“This is more than just an experiment gone wrong,” Maggie spoke almost too quietly to be heard, “this is something bigger isn’t it?”

Dawn looked helplessly at Faith; this was no time to go into long winded explanations.

“Look,” Faith pointed her finger at Maggie and Steve as if it was a gun, “we ain’t got the time for Dawn to explain everything, right? All ya need to know is me an’ her deal with stuff like this. An’ if you want to live you better start dealin’ too, okay?”

“Okay,” Dawn stepped forward and broke the silence that had descended over the room, “let’s take the shepherd’s advice and get the flock outta here!”

Leading the way out of the front door, Faith stopped at the sight of the five gun totting man-demons who blocked their route to freedom.

“Crap!” muttered Faith under her breath.

0=0=0=0


	8. Chapter 8

8.

“BACK!”

Feeling Faith’s hand on her shoulder, Dawn was pulled back into the lodge, she stumbled into Steve as they were both, more or less, hurled into the hall way. Suddenly the air was filled with the sound of guns going off, glass breaking and the meaty thump of bullets hitting flesh.

“FAITH!?” Dawn screamed as she scrambled across the glass littered floor back towards the door only to be confronted by Faith as she dived through the opening and slammed the door behind her.

“I thought I told you to stay back!” Faith crouched down behind the door which was rapidly being turned into matchwood.

“But…” Dawn began but was silenced by another burst of firing and a torrent of bullets that buzzed around her ears like angry hornets.

“Maggie?” Steve looked up from where he’d taken shelter further down the passageway.

“Sorry, man,” Faith looked guiltily at Steve, she’d been unable to save the American woman; the firing outside eased off for a moment. “Okay,” Faith started to crawl towards the rear of the lodge, “time to go, follow me!”

Leading the much reduced party through the lodge, Faith took them into the lounge area and ran over to the door that led out onto the patio. With any luck the man-demons wouldn’t have surrounded the lodge completely. There’d been about five out front, they’d killed two and there’d only supposed to be twelve of the creatures and like Dawn had said, maybe a few were already dead.

Placing her hand on the door handle, Faith pushed open the door and cautiously looked out into the dark. There was no sign of any demons with or without guns. As she ushered Dawn and Steve out into the open she heard the sound of the front door being kicked open and heavy feet in the hall way.

“Okay, go!” Faith pushed Dawn and Steve towards the woods; with a last glance over her shoulder she followed them into the night.

They’d just got into the treeline when they heard voices behind them, running harder they ducked as bullets slashed thought the branches around their heads, obviously the demons weren’t about to give up just yet. Dodging between the trees they headed deeper into the forest as the sound of firing got fainter and the number of bullets flying around their ears got less. Eventually they came to a halt behind a particularly big tree, panting for breath they stopped to weigh up their alternatives.

“Why…”gasped Steve, “aren’t…you…out…of…breath?”

“Healthy living,” Faith replied shortly, she placed her hand on Dawn’s shoulder, “you okay?”

“Yeah,” Dawn sucked in great lungfuls of air and smiled weakly, “just workin’ up to my first heart attack.”

“Hey,” complained Steve, “how come you don’t ask me if I’m alright?”

Glancing at him, Faith rolled her eyes, “Come on let’s get movin’.”

They’d not gone more than a few yards when they heard more firing over to their left.

“Come on,” Faith pointed to what looked like a forester’s track leading further into the woods, “this way, it’ll be quicker.”

They trotted along the rough track, Faith keeping her speed down to allow Dawn and Steve to keep up with her. She could hear the demons crashing through the trees occasionally firing speculative bursts into the night. She caught them shouting directions to each other; at least she thought they were directions, she could only understand about one word in four their accents were so thick. Running on she didn’t notice the figure standing in the middle of the track ahead of her.

“STOP!” yelled a man’s voice; Faith stumbled on a couple of paces before the cry really registered, “STOP!”

This time Faith recognised the tone of warning and urgency in the shout she held up her hand and Steve and Dawn stumbled to a halt behind her. Looking ahead, Faith saw Dick standing in the middle of the track. The man looked at her with fear filled eyes.

“What ya doin’?” Faith demanded as she held Steve and Dawn back, there was something not quite right here.

“Don’t move,” Dick held up his hands as if trying to hold Faith back, “the place is mined!”

“How do you know?” Dawn stood next to Faith and held onto her arm.

“I’m standing on one,” Dick replied with uncharacteristic calm, “CRM Platoon Buster,” he added, “one of ours.”

“Oh shit,” whispered Steve as he glanced over his shoulder hearing the demons in the distance.

“Yeah…boom!” Dick laughed a little hysterically, “Where’s Billy?”

“Sorry, man,” Faith shook her head slowly, she was trying to work out a way out of this before the demons caught up with them, “he’s dead. Look,” Faith gestured over her shoulder at the sound of approaching voices, “is there a way ‘round?”

“No,” Dick looked sadly at the ground for a moment, “no, I don’t think so…look,” Dick pointed to the trail he’d left, “follow my footsteps to there,” he pointed, “then jump to those tree trunks, okay?”

“Yeah,” nodding her head, Faith started to lead her party forward; Dick had been trapped a mere four or five feet from what looked like safety.

Once everyone was safely on the other side of the mine field, Faith came back and held out her hand to Dick.

“Come on, jump,” Faith ordered in a soft voice, somehow she knew Dick wouldn’t.

“Go,” Dick turned his head to look at her and smiled sadly, “if I move my foot the mine goes off…plus all the other ones its linked to.” He shrugged regretfully, “Damned good product the CRM…you better go, I’ll stay here.”

“Yeah,” Faith started to turn away but stopped and looked back at Dick, “luck man.”

Faith waved her hand then ran off into the woods after Dawn and Steve.

0=0=0=0

After watching Faith disappear into the dark, Dick turned at the sound of voices; he could just make out figures approaching through the trees.

“HEY!” he shouted waving his arms in the air, “COME ON! COME OOON!” Dick shouted as loudly as he could, “OVER HERE!”

A rough heavily accented voice seemed to come out of thin air making Dick flinch, looking around he could clearly see the misshapen forms of the man-monsters approach him out of the dark. He heard weapons being cocked as he looked down the barrels of assault rifles and submachine-guns all of which were being pointed at him. The ‘men’ laughed as they realised what had happened and why Dick was just standing there and not running away. Two of the creatures picked up a log and placed it across the track; they intended to use it as a bridge to cross the minefield. 

“You’re laughing at me,” Dick joined in with the laughter, “but you won’t be fucking laughing when I take my foot of this fucking mine.”

Obviously the demons didn’t believe him because they started to cross the tree-trunk, all the time laughing at Dick’s helplessness. 

“Yeah, come on everybody,” Dick watched as the demons walked past him on their bridge, “be my fucking guest.” Waiting until there were demons on either side of the track and on the bridge, Dick asked himself a question, “Ready?” he waited for a moment longer before saying, “Yeah.” 

Dick stepped off the mine.

0=0=0=0

Pausing at the sound of the explosions, Faith looked over her shoulder, she could see nothing, but her nose picked up the smell of explosives.

“Thanks, Dick,” she muttered under her breath before running on.

0=0=0=0

Running on through the trees, Faith knew she’d have to turn and fight at some point. While she could run all night if needs be, Dawn and particularly Steve were starting to flag. They wouldn’t be able to go on for much longer, what she needed was somewhere to hold up; somewhere defensible to rest. Glancing up through the trees, Faith noticed that the sky was getting brighter, in less than an hour it’d be dawn.

Suddenly finding herself out in the open, Faith came to a halt next to Dawn and Steve. They were standing on the edge of a well tended lawn and there before them stood a lodge with a big banner over the front door saying ‘Welcome to Palisade Sales Team’.

“Jill was right,” Steve gasped his hands resting on his knees, “we were in the wrong place.”

0=0=0=0

“Who’s that?” Dawn pointed to the corpse that was nailed up in the doorway leading to the dinning room.

“George,” Steve stood next to her looking up at the body, “Director of the Sales department.”

“No time for sightseeing,” Faith pushed past the body, “look for stuff that could be useful.”

“Here,” Dawn pulled a framed map from the wall, “a map!”

They huddled around the map as Dawn pointed to a spot near the edge of the forest.

“Here,” Dawn glanced left and right at Faith and Steve, “this must be the lodge,” she moved her finger and consulted the scale, “and look we’re less than a mile from the main road!”

“Great!” Steve turned and started to head for the door, “What? In an hour or less we can be outta this.”

“He’s right,” Faith headed off after Steve while Dawn dumped the map and brought up the rear.

Back out in the open again it was noticeably lighter, they paused at the door to let Dawn get her bearing. After a moments hesitation she pointed off into the woods.

“That way,” she announced simply and started to trot towards the trees. The sound of gun shots turned her easy trot into a frantic sprint. Crashing to a halt just inside the treeline, Faith and Dawn hid behind a couple of trees. On the other side of the lodge they could see three of the man-demons walk from the woods. They could also see Steve’s body lying on the dew wet grass of the lawn.

“Crap!” snapped Faith, “Come on,” Faith felt Dawn’s hand on her own, “there’s nothing we could have done…lets go.”

0=0=0=0

Running between the trees, Dawn suddenly found herself alone.

“Faith?” she cried as she slowed and looked around, Faith was nowhere to be seen, “FAITH!” she called louder.

Getting no reply she ran on thinking that Faith must have doubled back to try and slow the demon-things down. She’d not run more than a couple of more paces when she felt something tighten around her ankle and she was swung up into the air.

“FAAAAAAITH!” screaming in fear and surprise, Dawn swung from side to side as she hung up-side-down from the rope around her ankle; she’d run into a trap; she tried calling again, “FAAAAITH!”

0=0=0=0

“WHERE ARE YOU?” Faith ran looking one way then another, somehow she’d managed to lose Dawn.

One moment she’d been there right in front of her, then she’d looked over her shoulder to check on their pursuers. When she’d looked back, Dawn had simply vanished.

“Faith!” Dawn’s voice came faintly to Faith’s ears, she must be close by; Faith changed direction towards where she thought Dawn’s voice was coming from.

“DAWN!” Faith pushed her way between the trees, “Where are you?”

“FAITH!” Came the answering scream, “I’m caught in some sorta trap!”

Confused, Faith turned and found herself starring into the face of one of the man-demons.

“Fuck,” Faith whispered, “Where did you come from?”

Instead of answering the demon punched Faith in the face sending her flying through the air to land in the dry leaves between two trees.

“FAITH! HE’S COMING!” Hearing the fear in Dawn’s voice, Faith sprung back to her feet.

Rushing across the little clearing, Faith caught the demon around the middle in a rugby tackle and they both went sprawling. When they eventually came to a halt, she found herself sitting on top of the demon’s chest. Raising her fist she started to pummel the demon’s face letting out all her frustration and anger on the creature.

0=0=0=0

Dawn’s struggles just seemed to make her swing and spin at the end of the rope, she felt the blood start to pound in her ears as she spun and swung crazily to and fro. It was as she twisted in a circle that she saw the man-demon advance towards her from out of the trees. Like the others this one wore mismatched pieces of military uniform and had a selection of knives hanging from the harness he wore.

“Oh god!” gasped Dawn as she watched its slow but steady approach, “FAITH!” she screamed again, “IT’S COMING! NOOO!”

The man-demon was now standing close to where Dawn hung, she could smell its fetid stench and see its eyes that glowed redly in the pre-dawn gloom. Moaning in fear and disgust, Dawn felt the monsters rough hand slide across her belly where her shirt had fallen away towards her head.

“Oh, please no,” Dawn whimpered as the man-demon pulled a long serrated knife from the sheath on his belt.

0=0=0=0

Somehow the man-demon had managed to push Faith off him and had rolled on top of her. The creature attempted to hold on to Faith as she struggled to escape his grasp. Looking up, Faith saw the creature open its mouth to expose long sharp, fang-like teeth. Moving in to rip out Faith’s throat the man-demon let go of one of Faith’s arms. Not needing an invitation, Faith pulled her arm free and jabbed with her fingers into the creature’s eyes. The man-demon screamed in pain covering its eyes with its hands, Faith pushed the creature off her and managed to get to her feet. Stumbling a couple of yards away from the man-demon she felt something catch against her foot.

Looking down, Faith saw a good hefty piece of wood about a yard long. Picking it up she hefted it in her hands before charging at the creature.

“AAAAAGH!” she screamed as she ran at the man-demon; swinging her club she caught the creature on the side of the head with a resounding *THWACK!*,

The man-demon was knocked off its knees to roll in the leaf litter as Faith hit it again and again. One of the demon’s arms flashed out towards her with explosive speed knocking the club from her grasp. This didn’t slow her down, however, now she had the creature at her mercy she wasn’t going to let it go. Kicking the creature in the ribs she heard bone snap and the man-demon cry out in fresh pain. Getting careless, Faith moved in for what she felt sure was the kill only to find the demon kick her legs out from under her. Now it was Faith turn to be kicked across the clearing.

0=0=0=0

“OH GOD!” screamed Dawn, “FAAAAAAITH!”

The man-demon raised its knife and Dawn expected to feel it cold, hard sharpness slice into her flesh and have her insides ripped out and scattered around the forest. Suddenly, Dawn landed painfully hard on her head, the demon had cut the rope that had held her up and was now standing over her knife in hand. Quickly regaining her wits, Dawn rolled over and started to scramble away from the creature on her hands and knees. Bending down the demon grabbed the length of rope that was still attached to Dawn’s ankle and pulled.

0=0=0=0

Rolling away from an ill aimed kick, Faith bounced to her feet and counter-attacked. Running towards the man-demon, she lowered her shoulder and shoulder barged it in the stomach knocking all the breath from its lungs. However, the demon didn’t go down. Faith found herself pushing the demon across the clearing as it fought to keep its balance and it footing. Tightening her hold around the man-demons legs, Faith’s hand came into contact with something hard strapped to the demon’s leg. A Knife!

Pulling the knife from its scabbard, Faith let go of the demon’s legs and fell backwards. For a moment she just lay there apparently helpless. The man-demon raised its leg to stamp on her face, Faith thrust upwards with the knife and buried it in the demon’s crutch. Hot, thick, blood spurted over her hand and down her arm as the demon screamed soundlessly. Pushing the mortally wounded demon away from her, Faith climbed wearily to her feet.

“Gotta find Dawnie,” she gasped breathlessly.

Turning away from the demon who was still staggering about and clutching at its crutch, Faith came face to face with yet another man-demon.

“Oh fuck,” groaned Faith as the demon struck her across the jaw with the butt of its rifle.

0=0=0=0


	9. Chapter 9

9.

“Get offa me, FREAK!” Dawn struggled under the weight of the man-demon, her fingers groping for the creature’s eyes.

Losing patience with Dawn’s struggles, the man-demon got his right arm free, pulled back his fist and punched Dawn on the side of her head. Seeing stars, Dawn lost consciousness for a moment only to wake up to find the demon lying on top of her and running its tongue across her cheek. Twisting her head, she caught the demon by surprise and felt its tongue slip between her teeth; she bit down as hard as she could. The demon gave a strangled cry of pain as Dawn’s sharp teeth sliced into its tongue.

Tasting the creature’s bitter blood in her mouth, Dawn let go and managed to push the demon off her. As soon as she was free she staggered to her feet, turned and started to run. The demon, recovered with inhuman speed and ran after Dawn bringing her down once again. It dragged her backwards across the forest floor before jumping on top of her once more. Grabbing hold of her hair it smashed her face into the ground.

Tasting her own blood, Dawn tried to crawl away but the demon had her in an iron grip. Time and again the demon pounded her face into the hard ground until once more Dawn saw stars and ceased her struggles. She now lay on her stomach with the demon lying on top of her, it started to pull at her clothes, material started to rip and she felt cool air on her skin. Then the demon’s hot, rank, breath washed over her and she knew she had to fight on, resistance was never futile, Dawn told herself. Even if she ended up dead, she’d fight on until her dying breath, never surrender, never give up.

Managing to turn a little, Dawn hit the demon in the temple with her elbow. Stunned for a second the man-demon relaxed his grip and Dawn fought her way clear. As she tried to crawl from under the creature her hand landed on something cold and hard. Her fingers closing around the stone as she swung it with all her remaining strength.

“I...” gasped Dawn, “...have had...” she punctuated her words with blows to the demon’s head, “...about...” again the stone rose and fell coming away from the creature’s head wet and sticky, “...enough...” bone crunched under her blows, “...of you!”

Pausing in her assault, Dawn knelt above the demon panting for breath, the demon lay unmoving but its eyes were still open and watched her with malignant menace. Wouldn’t this fucker ever die? What she needed was a bigger rock. Casting around between the trees, Dawn saw a small pile of boulders lying only a couple of yards away. Dropping her rock, she climbed slowly to her feet and lurched over to the stones. Selecting one she thought big enough for the job; she tried to pick it up. Straining to lift the boulder, she cried out in frustration as it refused to budge.

Once again, gasping for breath, Dawn sidled over to a smaller more manageable looking lump of rock. Clasping it in her hands, she heaved and grunted as she lifted it from its resting place. Staggering over to where the demon lay, she used all her strength to lift the boulder to shoulder height before dropping it on the demon’s head. The rock made a satisfying squelching sound as it crushed the man-demon’s skull.

“Got you, motherfucker!” Dawn tottered away from the now dead demon, she turned and once again plunged into the trees.

Pushing her way between the branches that took swipes at her and tried to catch hold of her ripped and torn clothing; Dawn stumbled out onto what at first glance appeared to be a track. Looking left and right, Dawn saw the narrow railway lines, turning she started to follow the toy sized track hoping against hope that it would lead her to safety.

0=0=0=0

Lying on the ground after the demon had butt stroked her, Faith groaned; she could taste blood in her mouth and she could hear a high pitched ringing in her ears. Shaking her head to try and clear it new pain lanced through her jaw. Her hand went automatically to her face, her fingers probed inside her mouth as she dribbled blood over her chin. Something loose came away in her fingers and she held them and ‘it’ up to her eyes, she saw a blood stained tooth between her thumb and forefinger.

Roaring in anger, Faith pushed herself to her feet, she turned to confront the demon who’d hit her. It was slowly limping across the clearing to where its comrade still stood with a look of pained surprise on its face and a knife sticking out of its arse. Faith struck the demon full speed in the back driving it head long into a tree. Hearing the dull *THUNK!* as its head hit the tree truck, she staggered back only to trip over the gun that the demon had dropped when she’d attacked it. Picking up the weapon, Faith looked up to see the man-demon stagger towards her, one clawed hand reaching for her while the other clutched at the gash in its forehead. Faith squeezed the trigger of the weapon, nothing happened.

“Oh, fuck, shit!” she groaned in frustration.

Her fingers found the safety catch and twisted it to ‘Fire’. This time when Faith pulled the trigger the gun barked in her hands and rounds stitched themselves across the creature’s chest. Emptying the entire magazine into the hybrid, Faith watched in satisfaction as the creature slowly collapsed to its knees and then fell onto its face, dead. Throwing the now useless gun to one side, she turned to deal with the other demon that was stubbornly refusing to die. Advancing on the man-demon, Faith was too beaten about to really notice the creature raise its arm. Something like a bone dart flew from a hole in the demon’s wrist hitting her in the shoulder. Knocked back on her heels from the force of the hit, she cried out in pain.

“Fuck sake!” Faith groaned and clutched at the wound with her free hand, “Don’t you ever give up?”

Lurching towards the man-demon, Faith kicked it in the chest forcing it to sit down heavily…on the knife forcing it further into its body. Eyes wide with shock the demon stared at Faith for a moment before its eyes went blank and Faith knew she’d finally killed the fucker!

“Gotta find Dawnie,” mumbled Faith again as she turned away from the clearing.

Heading off in the direction that she’d thought she’d heard Dawn’s faint cries for help, Faith staggered along a path the tip of the dart grating against the bones in her shoulder with every step she took. Finally she sat down and rested her back against a tree trunk. Looking at the end of the dart she clasped it in her right hand and pulled. A cry of pain escaped her lips as the dart slipped from her shoulder. For a moment Faith just sat there with her eyes tightly closed as she slowly regained control of her breathing.

Already she could feel some of her aches and pains start to fade, soon her slayer metabolism would kick in slowing any bleeding to a mere trickle and pumping new energy into her body. She’d feel like hell tomorrow, but at least the chances were she’d be alive to feel like hell. Dawn, however, might not. Dawn could be dead right now. Faith opened her eyes and shook her head, she couldn’t allow that to happen. She couldn’t allow that to happen because it was Dawn and because Faith loved her, she realised that now. The girl who’d not allowed herself to love anyone had finally succumbed. Pushing herself to her feet, Faith smiled wryly to herself, maybe she was gay; or at least ‘bi’, perhaps it was just something about Dawn. Whatever it was she had to find her and save her and…well, she’d see what happened next.

0=0=0=0

Sobbing quietly to herself, Dawn limped along the railway track. Now the adrenaline was starting to wear off the pain in her leg and ankle from being caught in the trap was increasing with every step. Very soon she had no breath left for crying, each step was agony it felt like red hot daggers had been driven into the joint between her leg and hip. Very soon she was dragging her leg behind her, stumbling against a tree she hung onto it for a moment to try and catch her breath.

Looking up, Dawn wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to match what she was seeing with what she remembered of the map back at the lodge. First she couldn’t remember a railroad line and she definitely couldn’t remember the buildings that towered over the forest only twenty yards ahead of her. Launching herself with a push and a grunt, Dawn staggered on towards the buildings. They looked majorly industrial, massive concrete structures that loomed out of the trees with forbidding menace. Laughing slightly hysterically, she pushed herself onwards. Where there were building there would be a phone, perhaps even people who’d look after her until Faith turned up.

“Oh my god!” Dawn stopped and turned to face back the way she’d come, “Faith!”

In her panic to get to safety and her pain, she’d forgotten about Faith. Where was she? Was she still alive? Dawn tried to sniff back her tears as she thought about what might have happened to her friend. Faith who was so much cooler than her sister and way more fun. Faith who treated her like an equal and even wanted her help with stuff. Faith who was sexy and pretty and had she mentioned, oh so hot? For a moment Dawn forgot the pain in her leg, the multitude of cuts and bruises that covered her body; she remembered the feel of Faith’s body against her own. How she’d felt safe and loved in the older woman’s arms, how she wanted to feel that way again.

Standing in indecision, Dawn couldn’t make up her mind what to do. Should she go back into the trees and try to find Faith or go on to the building and look for a phone. One step towards the trees convinced her of the route she should take. Dawn screamed as fire lanced through her body and she nearly fell to the ground. Only stopping herself from sprawling across the tracks by grasping hold of a tree, panting she looked towards the buildings. Beginning to doubt that she’d even make it the couple of dozen yards to the first building Dawn took a deep breath; pushed herself off from the tree and hobbled towards the factory or whatever it was.

0=0=0=0

The journey between the tree and the little concrete hut would remain a mystery for Dawn. Later she could never remember how she’d managed to drag herself those few yards to the little security post at the edge of the factory. However she managed it, she had got there now and she steadied herself in the doorway gasping for breath. Her eyes registered a desk, chair, some old newspapers and most importantly, a telephone. Throwing herself into the chair she grabbed the phone and pulled it towards her. Scrabbling at the instrument with her fingers she lifted the receiver to her ear and dialled for the emergency services. Eyes wide with horror, Dawn listened to the high pitched buzz coming from the earpiece.

“Oh god!” Dawn gasped the line must be down; only then did she realise what had gone wrong, in her fear and panic she’d dialled nine-one-one instead of nine-nine-nine.*

Starting again she carefully dialled the correct number, she listened as the phone rang once, twice and then there was a calm Scottish woman’s voice asking her which service she required.

“Er, ambulance, police,” the words tumbled from Dawn’s mouth in their hurry to be spoken, “I’m-I’m in some sort of factory, in the woods, there’re men with guns following me…” Dawn sobbed into the mouth piece, “...I-I think they’ve killed my girlfriend…”

“Don’t worry dear,” came the calm voice, “now, can you tell me where you are?”

“No…” Dawn moaned into the receiver, “...I don’t know, we where lost and these guys wanted to…”

“A factory in the woods you say?” the woman continued.

“Y-Yeah,” Dawn tried to get control of herself, self pity and losing control weren’t going to help.

“Sounds like the old, Blue Circle cement works to me,” the woman’s business-like voice helped to calm Dawn’s nerves, “Look stay where you are I’ll have someone with you in…” the line went dead.

Staring at the receiver in horror, Dawn slowly put it back in its cradle.

“Ohgodohgodohgod!” she muttered quietly as she heaved herself out of the chair and pushed herself towards the door.

Once again steadying herself in the doorway, Dawn looked out at the deserted factory. There it stood with an evil grin on its face, no doubt imagining what it’d do to Dawn’s soft, defenceless flesh. Giving a short, high pitched scream, Dawn hobbled from the hut and started to make her way further into the jumble of buildings. Hearing the man-demon’s sneering laughter behind her, she threw herself through the first doorway she came to.

Pausing to suck down some air, Dawn found herself in a big dark room. It smelt of oil, grease and damp. A stairway leading up to the next floor called to her; she didn’t need to be asked twice. Half way up the stairs, Dawn paused to see the man-demon standing in the doorway; she noted the rifle in his hands, his ragged fatigues, the ammunition pouches and knives hanging from off its harness. The way it stood in the doorway not bothering to come after her, the contempt in its eyes told Dawn that she was as good as dead. 

Why bother struggling anymore? She might as well sit down let the monster do whatever it wanted to her, she’d soon be dead and it would all be over. Closing her eyes tightly, Dawn felt the tears squeeze from under her eyelids. No, that was what the creature wanted her to do, that’s probably what her sister expected her to do. Buffy would never treat her like an adult until she showed her just how strong she could be. Heaving herself up the stairs again and keeping one eye on the demon, Dawn stumbled onwards and upwards.

Leaving its rifle by the door, the demon walked slowly over to the foot of the stairs. For a moment he watched the struggling girl on the stairs above him before opening his mouth wide. Looking back, Dawn saw the demon standing there, she felt slightly insulted that it didn’t think it needed its weapon to catch her, then it opened its mouth. Trying to move faster, Dawn saw the little blue light at the back of the demon’s throat and knew exactly what that meant.

Hurling herself the last couple of steps to the next floor, Dawn felt the heat of the flames as they passed above her. A cry of alarm escaped her own throat as she crawled across the floor towards a pile of long wooden boxes. Maybe she could hide, perhaps there’s be something in the boxes that could help her fight the demon, perhaps she was going to die whatever she did.

Crawling frantically across the floor, Dawn threw herself behind the first pile of boxes just as the demon’s head came level with the floor. Once again, Dawn felt the heat of the flame as fire washed over her; she smelt her hair singe as the ends shrivelled in the heat. Desperately her fingers struggled with the big metal catches that held the boxes closed. It was only then that she noticed the writing on the side of the boxes.

‘Palisade Defence’ it said, and then something in a language that she couldn’t read, it looked like Russia or some other Slavic language. So, this must be where the demon’s had made their home after the Palisade plan to ‘terminate’ their experiments had failed, and Dawn had run unerringly into the monster’s lair. Slowly the silence registered in her mind, she looked up and saw the demon sneering down at her.

“Oh crap!” Dawn tried to push herself across the floor and away from her tormentor, “I-I don’t suppose we could talk about this?” 

The demon moved to cut off any hope Dawn had of escape, sighing resignedly she stopped moving.

“No,” she shook her head sadly, “I didn’t think there was.”

Looking up at the demon defiantly, Dawn tried to put on a brave face.

“Come on then,” her voice was surprisingly steady now she’d realised there was no escape, she’d not beg for her life, “lets get this over with. Shall we start with the sexual torture, followed by rape and finally the slow lingering death?”

The demon slowly opened its mouth until Dawn could see the flame at the back of its throat.

“Okay,” Dawn laughed in the creature’s face, one last act of defiance, “going straight to the agonisingly, fiery death then?”

Dawn closed her eyes and waited; she screamed as the room echoed to the sound of the demon’s rifle firing. Opening her eyes she looked up to see bullets ripping the demon’s body apart. The creature’s arms flew out from its side as its knees started to give way. It jerked in a strange sort of dance as each bullet smashed into it body sending gobbets of flesh and blood flying in all directions. Eventually a bullet hit the reservoir that stored whatever it used to fuel its personnel flame thrower. There was a terrific *BOOM!* as the demon exploded and lumps of burning demon flesh landed on and around Dawn.

Screaming, Dawn tried to knock the smouldering lumps of flesh from her singed and smoking clothes. Suddenly she felt strong hands grab hold of her and she was lifted into the air and pulled out of the danger zone and towards the stairs.

“Dawn! Dawnie!?” came a familiar voice, “Are ya okay?”

“Faith?” Dawn found herself looking into the bruised and blood smeared face of her friend, “Oh god, Faith,” Dawn buried her face in Faith’s hair, “I thought I was going to die...I thought I’d never see you again.”

“Hey,” Faith stopped at the top of the stairs, “I couldn’t leave ya here, I…”

Suddenly, words were meaningless as they looked into each others eyes. Slowly their lips met as they kissed passionately there amongst the smoke, flames and barbecued demon chunks. They only broke apart as the sound of sirens came to their ears.

“What the…!” Faith looked around in surprise.

“I called the police,” Dawn informed her.

“Cool,” Faith grinned and started to help Dawn down the stairs and out into the sunshine of a new day.

0=0=0=0

Epilogue.

**Dawn and Faith’s Apartment, several days’ later.**

Running up the stairs, Buffy searched in her bag for the keys to Dawn’s flat; she’d arrived back from LA early that morning and had just heard the news about what had happened to her sister from Giles. After yelling at him for not calling her sooner, she’d got Maggie McBride, one of the slayer instructors, to drive her to Middlesbrough and Dawn’s apartment. Getting to the door, Buffy used the keys to get in; rushing into the living room she found it empty.

“Dawn?” she cried but got no answer.

This just went to show what happened if Dawn was sent out on missions, Buffy had never liked it but Dawn had insisted. Walking over to Dawn’s bedroom door, she opened it without knocking. The room was in semi-darkness but her eyes adapted quickly; she saw movement over on the bed.

“Dawn?” Buffy called once more.

Seeing Dawn sit up in bed, Buffy frowned at the cuts and bruises on her sister’s face. Her hair looked shorter and her shoulders were bare as she held the sheet up to her chest. Puzzled, Buffy was just about to ask her how she felt when she noticed something stir under the bedclothes beside her sister.

“Dawn?” Buffy asked in a low threatening voice, not only had her sister got herself injured but she was also in bed with a boy!

“Erm, Buffy, you’re back,” Dawn didn’t exactly sound thrilled to see her sister.

“Dawn…” Buffy opened her mouth to start to demand an explanation when her eyes were drawn to the head that appeared from under the covers next to her sister. “FAITH!?”

“B?” Faith replied sleepily.

“What the…?” Buffy was about to ask what the hell was going on but words failed her and she just stood there doing goldfish impressions.

“Buffy…” Dawn said to Buffy’s departing back, “I can explain…” she heard the front door slam, “...honest…”

“Don’t sweat it,” Faith sat up in Dawn’s bed, “she’ll get over it.”

“Yeah, ‘spose,” Dawn didn’t sound convinced.

“Tell y’what,” Faith swung her legs out of bed and stood up.

“What?” Dawn gazed at Faith drinking in the hotness that was her girlfriend’s naked body.

“First thing,” still naked Faith headed for the bedroom door, “we get Harris to change the locks.”

The End.

*: Since writing this fic I’ve heard that in most parts of the UK it is possible to phone the emergency services by dialing 911 as well as 999. I think it was on BBC Radio 4, so it must be true. 


End file.
